


No Room to Breathe

by Persephone_Raine



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Action/Adventure, Ass-Kicking, Best Friends, Betrayal, Break Up, Crime Fighting, Daddy Kink, Denial of Feelings, Drama & Romance, Drinking, Embarrassment, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Friendship/Love, Hate Crimes, Heartbreak, I'm Bad At Summaries, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, Murder, Oral Sex, Organized Crime, Partner Betrayal, Post-War, Recreational Drug Use, Romance, Rough Sex, Sad, Science Fiction, Unrequited Love, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-05-05 12:40:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 138,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14618772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephone_Raine/pseuds/Persephone_Raine
Summary: “Might wanna lower your weapon, partner. You don’t know who you’re messing with.” The girl just grinned, crooked, exposing those too perfect teeth. “Yeah?” The rifle’s barrel lightened up against his leathery skin some, but she wasn’t backing down. “Tell me who you are. So I can be sure you’re not gonna raid me like him.” She jerked her eyes to Finn, then to Hancock himself.“You got the wrong impression of this cute little city here. This is Goodneighbor, and I…” He fisted the rifle, shoving it aside, causing her to stumble just a bit. “Am Mayor John Hancock.”





	1. Chapter 1

Goodneighbor had been home to people like Hancock for many years now. Outcasts, freaks, even had a few super mutants come and stay for a little while. They could be civil, see? Mayor Hancock welcomed them like family, after all, that’s what this town was. A huge dysfunctional, functional family. There were no real rules, dictatorship really wasn’t John’s speed. Speaking of speed… He huffed off jet, feeling everything sort of fade, definitely slow down enough for him to see one of his triggermen making his way downstairs at the mention of a new face suddenly showing up.

Now, Hancock may be a mayor, but he liked to see it as having power, while not really having much. It’s the independence everyone craves in this god-fucking-forsaken wasteland known as the Commonwealth. It was alive and well, a whole monster with even tinier evils creating something much, much more than all of us. Ghoul, or human, or synth, or robot. Well, you understand. “A new face?” The ghoul said, responding what felt like hours later. He slid his boots off his desk, fixing his frock with a final fluffing throw.

Fahrenheit rolled her eyes as he sort of swayed, almost tumbling at the movement. A fitting name for someone as literal hot-tempered as her. The high from jet didn’t ever last too long thankfully, but just enough to calm him. Soothe him from all the work it took to hold such a ravaging city together. “You’re gonna overdo it one day.” She warned him, pushing off her shoulder from the frothy ruined doorway of the statehouse. “Just because you’re a ghoul, doesn’t mean you’re exactly indestructible.”

“Now, sister,” His voice was a whiskey and cigarette purr, not a scratchy vinyl sound like most ghouls. “I’m John fucking Hancock, it’s gonna take a whole army to bring me down.” He smirked that infamous little sideways grin, throwing open the state doors to make an entrance.

Except he didn’t catch any attention. It wasn’t his guardian of the city, Finn, using his soliciting bullshit that dramatically caught his attention, it was instead this newfound visitor. All alone wearing a form-fitting, glossy black jumpsuit with a very detailed plasma rifle on her back. Not to mention that interesting find of a pipboy on her arm. He made a note to himself to ask her about that some time. That shit was rare to even come upon these days.

She was all modelistic curves, a tiny little thing. She looked far too fucking pretty to be fighting through the commonwealth, especially by her lonesome.

He slowly leaned against the building, watching her. Her expression was neutral, catlike eyes gleaming gold from within the chocolate color hidden beneath a mask of heavy eyelashes. Even under the filthy face of hers, those high cheekbones and the look of danger couldn’t be concealed. She was deadly as an atom bomb, that much Hancock could see for himself. She stood with an angelic sort of grace, back straight, a ‘don’t fucking touch me’ glare there, a look of warning. No poker face could hide it.

And that hair… Long, even he could see from the messy bun crumbling at the top of her head. Knotted and crazy from whatever battle she won on her way here. And then there was Finn, ballsy as a motherfucker. “He’s gonna pull that insurance bullshit.” Said Fahrenheit with a snort, standing straight across from him against KLEO’s shop. “Let’s see if she falls for it.”

He didn’t take his eyes off the two, and he knew this newcomer could see. Her eyes flickered over to him, to Fahr, to Finn. One of her feet shuffled, a tiny step back, but she tensed. Ready for a fight, even in such a minimalistic stance. He had a feeling she wouldn’t. She screamed danger. Trouble.

“You’re gonna need insurance,” He said. “Hand over everything you got.”

Snorting, the new girl just rolled her eyes. “You’re mad as hell if you really think I’m just gonna hand over my shit.”

“It’s either you do that…” Finn studied her, and Hancock was ready to intervene any moment now until- “Or accidents start happening.” Incredulously, she just grinned. That was all it took, this girl stole the show for ol’ Mayor. She was fucking devastating, a mini-nuke created from the strongest of chemicals.

“Accidents?” Her voice was such a soft, seductive purr it made him tingle in the nether regions. With a flick of an arm that rifle was faced right between Finn’s brow, and off it went.

The poor bastard melted right into a puddle of goo at her pretty little feet, and he knew. Then and there. This woman was gonna be one hell of a fight to be reckoned with. “We need to keep an eye on her,” Fahrenheit whispered, now studying Hancock’s expression. He barely registered her sharp gaze, quickly making his way over to the drifter with a swagger and saunter that would bring even the most resilient to their knees.

When she focused her full attention on him, something in his stomach turned over. It was stronger than any sort of kick any chems gave him, and it made him question what the fuck was going on in his head right now. But hell, Finn was a strong fucking fighter, it took a few triggermen to take him down that one time he roughed up a drifter. But she one-shot took him down like she was just tossing a tin can into a gutter or something.

“Impressive,” He said sort of dismissively, Toing at the slime running down the ragged tiles of the entrance.

“Fucker deserved it.” Suddenly, warm metal was right up against his temple. He heard murmuring and could hear the clanking of Fahrenheit’s armor quickly making its way over. He held out a hand, as to tell her ‘back off’.

“Hey, hey…” Hancock drawled, finding himself smirking. He liked how feisty this stranger was. “Might wanna lower your weapon, partner. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”

The girl just grinned, crooked, exposing those too perfect teeth. “Yeah?” The rifle’s barrel lightened up against his leathery skin some, but she wasn’t backing down. “Tell me who you are. So I can be sure you’re not gonna raid me like him.” She jerked her eyes to Finn, then to Hancock himself.

“You got the wrong impression of this cute little city here. This is Goodneighbor, and I…” He fisted the rifle, shoving it aside, causing her to stumble just a bit. “Am Mayor John Hancock.”

“Should’ve guessed. You’re dressed like some pre-pre war anarchist.” She holstered her weapon, that hard stare back in her eyes. “Maddie Preston.” Taking out his knife, he simply gazed it over, making sure he caught the glint of the sun, hitting her reflection in the metal of it.

“That’s kinda the point there, doll. This place is of the people, for the people. Ya, dig there, sweetheart?” Shaking her head in disbelief, but seemed to relax now. At least some. “What a way to introduce yourself by the way,” He interrupted when her mouth opened probably for some smartass remark. “You kill everyone you first come upon or?”

Her arched eyebrows furrowing, she looked at him quizzically with a sort of childlike wonder, “Why aren’t you angry?”

“You kidding me? The guy was trying to extort money from someone innocent.” though, by her skilled shot, he highly doubted she was. “We hurt people who do that. Better you do it than I.”

“You some sort of rebel?” She guessed, folding her arms. God, she was itty bitty. A petite, unsuspecting suspect. He could dig that.

“I’m a ghoul, my existence is a rebellion.” Maddie smiled at that, genuine enough to have him fighting to grin back.

“That’s pretty badass.” Fahrenheit cleared her throat, alerting Hancock of the fact he really wasn't alone there.

“Well, sorry you got the wrong impression, but I promise. You’ll fit in with my heretics here. You looking for quality entertainment but shitty drinks, there’s the Third Rail. Magnolia is the entertainment sure to distract you from the burning acid in your throat. KLEO here is for weapons,” he motioned to the robot.

“An Assaultron selling weapons,” Maddie said, already swaying her pretty little hips away. Hancock couldn’t stop from staring at how round her ass was in that well put together suit. “Fitting.”

“What, you not gonna give her an ol’ tour of the town?” Fahrenheit hissed sardonically. Hancock turned to look at her, the place where his eyebrows were supposed to be, raised at her sudden harshness. “You look like a child who just got caught doing something he’s not supposed to. Get your head out your ass, she’s a threat.”

“She’s a challenge,” John replied, looking over as Maddie went right next door to Daisy instead.

“And you’re gonna get yourself hurt. Better yet, this town.”

“You think I won’t be able to handle someone like her?”

“You saw how she took down Finn. How she turned on you like it was nothing. She’s _fearless_. Ruthless.”

“A _mercenary_ maybe?"

He full on scoffed, "What happened to no judgment? Commonwealth is a scary place. Can’t help but be defensive.”

Fahrenheit just scowled, shaking her head in obvious disdain. “Chill out,” Hancock said, now more serious than before. “We’ll keep an eye on her. Not like Deacon hasn’t done that enough for us.” The synth spy stood, dressed in similar Drifter attire, just feet away from wherever Maddie turned. “We’re a full city. Now, let’s go and see Charle, shall we?” Turning on his heel, he was suddenly hyper-aware of the new company in his town. It was a community. A family.

But you don’t wanna fuck family… Do you?

Hancock was no stranger to being attracted to a pretty face, no. But it was the feeling he never thought he’d experience again, that silent magnetic pull. She was alluring in such a way, but he didn’t want to remember how she managed to make him feel like he swallowed buffout from just one meeting. Which is how he ended up, in Magnolia’s dingy motel room, high as a motherfucker.

Magnolia was gorgeous, with a voice to serenade anyone like a siren. Booze, trauma, and a pretty woman gazing into your eyes as she sings a song that you think you can relate to. Gets you vulnerable, and she uses you. Just like he uses her right back. “Mr. Hancock…” She purred softly, breathing heavily as she rolled over next to him.

“You never fail to disappoint.” He smirked, already getting up to slide back into his trousers. “I’m glad I can provide.” He returned, casting a glance over to her. She was a very broken woman, and it was something Hancock could relate very well too. Sex, lust… It was just as potent. Takes that little bit of edge off, makes you forget. Relaxes you. For the moment.

“You ever gonna settle down?” She reached for her cigarette box, naked form sitting on top of the ruined blankets.

“Are you?” He replied, shrugging into the red overcoat. “I’m not a one-woman man. You know this, Mags…”

He leaned over her to retrieve his golden watch when she caught him by the ruffled shirt. “Why are you so quick to leave, Hancock? No round two today?” Her fingers walked along his shoulder, cupping the back of his neck bringing him down to whisper in his ear, “That little vaultie has you by the cock, Mayor.” He ripped back suddenly.

“Vaultie? The fuck are you talking about?” He looked at her now, a little angry at the accusation. “She’s just some person stopping by. I hardly know her. Explains why she was so jumpy.” Magnolia just sighed, blowing out smoke to the side as she did so. “Only the guilty jump to the defensive.” Rolling his beady little obsidian eyes, he said, “We have one nosy reporter, Piper. We don’t need someone else spreading gossip.”


	2. Chapter 2

It had been weeks since there had been any trace of Maddie, and John was more than okay with that. He almost forgot her existence, and yeah, it sounds harsh. No woman should have a certain power of a ghoul. Not John Hancock. Ruthless murderer, leader of Goodneighbor, banished brother of Diamond city’s Mayor Mc-fuckin’-Donough.

Sick, power hungry, motherfucker. Downing the rest of whiskey in his glass, he had the flask at hand when a very pissed off looking Fahrenheit barged in, throwing a file down on his desk like it was burning her very hands. “Your little friend? Remember, the one who killed Finn?”

“You know, she has a name…” That he was far too drunk to remember himself. A load of shit.

“This isn’t time for fucking jokes, she’s headed to our strongroom.”

What?

“What do you mean? How? Why? Wait - I know why, but how?” As if on cue, a breathless, filthy man threw himself into the room in a haste. “May I help you?” Hancock asked.

“Bobbi - No nose.” He gasped, hand pressed over his chest. The poor guy in ruined overalls braced a palm on one of the chairs, trying to catch his breath. “I didn’t know her plans, she crossed us, had us digging for weeks. There were mirelurks, and-” Fahrenheit wanted to clap this man so hard on his back his lungs had no other reason, but to work.

“Get to the point!” She demanded, Hancock looked at her, then to him.

“She’s getting to the strongroom, with that fuckin’ Vaultdweller. She’s powerful, watched her take out three mirelurks like it was nothing. I’m sorry, mayor. I had no clue.” Anger spliced up his spine, but beneath it was this wonderful. How the hell had they really managed to pull a blindfold over his eyes? This woman… She had some skill. “It’s okay, why don’t you rest, yeah?” He pulled out a stimpack from the small pocket in his overcoat, handing it over to the man. As well as a small compensation in caps.

“Fahrenheit, go to the strongroom. Be sure she - and her crew of thieves don’t get a goddamn thing.”

His voice was this cold gravel rumbling in his chest, the anger evident in the way he rose stiffly. If there was anything he hated, it was seeing all his hard fucking work being dicked around by some selfish person like Bobbi. And the fact, Maddie was there helping her. Chuckling to himself, he followed behind Fahrenheit.

“The fuck is so funny now, Hancock?”

“This little vaultie…” She groaned in reply to that.

“I’m guessing you’re unaware of all she’s accomplishing so far.”

“Like?” She held the door open for him to come through, Ashmaker there on her side.

“The Minutemen? She’s the general. Been setting up little settlements everywhere. Fully powered up with water, food, electricity, protection…”

“She’s doing that?” He harrumphed, leaning back against the wall before the door.

“Preston Garvey and her, with a few soldiers she has taken back that old castle.” Hancock couldn’t hide the little bit of pride he felt for the little visitor. Guess her impression wasn’t too far off, she was doing incredible things already.

“Guess you’re proud of our little friend, here?” Fahr said, looking a little amused.

"Just a little.” He confessed. “Took one little person escaping out of some vault to make a change to such a damning world.” The ghoul couldn’t hide that crooked little impish smile, and Fahr seemed to soften at the memory just ten years ago.

“Reminds me of some little ghoul I know.” Even in the dirtiest of details, he was proud for overthrowing the dictator that would steal and kill the people who came to goodneighbor, to escape from exactly that. “We made quite a mess.” He mused with a smirk, jutting his chin up.

“And created something bigger that works. Your people adore you, would go to war if you asked. You fuck with one-”

“You fuck with all.” They finished, Fahrenheit actually grinning fully now.

“I’m proud to watch the man you grew into, John…” Her voice was so uncharacteristically affectionate, it kind of made his heart swell. He never put too much thought into what he’d done. Not when it was great at least, The bad he’d done, the disappointment in himself was much, much grander than the exception that he had indeed created a safe haven. “Thanks.” He responded. He cleared his throat, looking to the east, near the strongroom.

Beneath them, the ground suddenly rumbled and trembled, though he was sure Fahr couldn’t feel it as vividly as he could. “We don’t have much time. I’ll be back.” And like that, she took off, unbeknownst that that would be the last time she’d ever be seen alive by him. There was no goodbye, no final send off.

This Bobbi character was the shadiest person she’d stumbled on, Maddie thought. “Are… You sure we’re going the right direction?” Mel asked, and even Maddie had to agree this whole extravaganza felt fucking off. She didn’t know the commonwealth from nothing, but even her pipboy was ringing, saying something was off. “

We’re little ways off from diamond city…” She began slowly, looking from Mel to Bobbi.

Her dark eyes were snide, a sneer written on her weathered face. The half that was still human, at least. “I know what I’m doing. Mel, send Sonya in there so we can get in the strongroom. In one piece.” He seemed to hesitate, looking from the poor little robot to Maddie herself. She tucked a strand of loose hair falling from her bun back behind her ear since there was no way to put it back in its hold.

“It’d destroy her…” That sort of pulled at her heartstrings some, seeing how genuinely sad this poor guy was to see such a valiant creation go to waste.

“Oh come on and just do it!” Maddie frowned, but put a guiding and reassuring hand on Mel’s shoulder with a squeeze. He covered her hand with his palm, looking regretfully to the fleeing robot. The ghoul stood, hands behind her back,

“You might wanna stand back for this.” The blast made even Maddie herself flinch. Mel’s throat strained, looking as if he might just shed a tear. Once the dust cleared, he rushed inside, falling to his knees before the poor corpse.

“No, no, no! Sonya!” With shaking hands, he picked up the broken little pieces.

“Oh, grow up. We can fix her with whatever we find from Diamond City’s strongroom.” She continued on, and she glared all the way through the ghoul’s back. How could she be so cold?

“Hey... “ Maddie murmured softly, making Mel glance her way with the saddest eyes she’d seen in a grown man. “I can help put her back together. We’ll come back for her.” Taking in a slow, measured breath, Mel stood slowly.

“You’re right. We’ll take whatever caps, and runoff. Remind me to never help Bobbi again.”

“I got a feeling I won’t have to.” The two met up at the entrance and - oh shit. Fahrenheit. “The fuck is going on?”

She recognized the guard, it was Hancock’s personal kind of assistant. Fahrenheit braced herself on the upper balcony, head tilted with a crooked smirk. It seemed smug, but it was the fact her eyes were on Maddie herself. It felt personal. “I see you were in the dark. Your friend here is stealing personally from Mayor Hancock himself.”

“You’re fucking kidding.” She breathed, but Bobbi just shrugged sheepishly.

“Shit,” Mel muttered, ready to turn back at any nanosecond.

“I’ll give you one chance to leave. That way no one’s blood is on anyone’s hands…” Maddie wasn’t one to back down. It was a pride thing.

The general swallowed, knowing that this could very much be the choice between life and death. Hancock reminded her of those hippies she met at a rock festival before the war. But, she heard stories from Charlie, of who Hancock was. What he’d done to people who crossed him. “You’re not gonna chicken out on all these caps, are you?” Bobbi demanded to her, her one eyebrow cocking up into her hairline. “He can replace this at any time. Think of all the work you put into this…”

Fahrenheit was weighing Maddie up like a raw piece of meat. It didn’t take a genius to know that she didn’t trust her - she had every single right not to. “This isn’t personal…” She said eventually, dodging rapid gunfire before the words finished leaving her mouth. The vault dweller ducked into one of the train cars, dodging when a bullet tore right above her head. Strictly business. Rifle in hand, she turned with a crouch, gazing through her scope. Fahrenheit was much closer, glancing around the room with one target in mind.

Poor Mel was hiding in one corner from the Triggermen, Bobbi busy with two. The guard was after her, willing to kill her herself to keep Hancock’s loot safe. To keep Goodneighbor safer. After all, she’d killed one of their people the moment she stepped in. Maddie wouldn’t take too kindly either if some random stranger came in and challenged her place as general of the Minutemen. Gnawing her lower lip anxiously, she held her breathtaking steady aim and- “Fwip!” Her shoulder blared with pain when the ash maker suddenly whipped her way.

And with one final kickback, her rifle bucked when it fired and Fahrenheit lay, unmoving. Blood drenched from the one blow to her temples, distinctly between her eyes with a marksman ability. She released the breath she’d been holding, ignoring the pain from her shoulder. She’d remind herself to patch it up later. “Well…” The ghoul inspected her work, so, so pleased with herself.

It was chaos all around, and Bobbi was working her nerves better than she worked the fucking rigged system she was pulling. “Just pay me.” Maddie hissed angrily between her teeth. She wasn’t proud of what she’d just done, and she knew she just opened pandora’s box.

“Fine.”

Two hundred caps rained down over her palms, that was it. “Two… Hundred? Out of-” She wrenched open a file cabinet full of tons more. “All of this? Do you know who I just murdered?” Fifty more dropped before her. “There are over thousands here, you pay up more and make this worth my while - or so help me.” Mel was silent, babying the robot in his arms, but watching the exchange.

“What are you gonna do, huh, Vaultie? You forget you came to my doorstep - looking for work. And I gave it to you.”

“I’ll kill you my goddamn self.” And she wasn’t kidding.

“Oh _really?”_ Bobbi chided gun in her hand. “With what fucking _balls_?”

“Guys-” Mel cut in, “ _let’s get out of here_ before we cause more of a stir.”

Bobbi pointed her pistol at him now, and Maddie fumed. “Leave him out of this! He was the only reason you got in here - neither of us would have done it had we known we’re stealing from fucking Hancock .” The words rang off the walls, and she had no idea which ghoul was standing right before the security door, watching everything.

“She seems to be the only one with brains around here…” She snapped those sharp eyes onto him, and he glared pointedly at her. “The general herself makes an appearance, in front of my friend’s dead body, with my shit…”

Bobbi just stood, complacent. “You should think of hiring her as your new guard, John…”

She gritted her teeth, a sort of growl emitting from her throat. Hancock found his little Johnny twitching at such a sound. Her brown eyes seemed almost as dark as his, and he had a furious daydream of taking her then and there. Fingers knotted in her hair, pounding his anger away into her.

“I want an eye for an eye.” He hissed coldly. “It was one thing if it was personal, but it was business. My strongroom is a lot lighter... “ He sauntered his way over to Fahrenheit, kneeling down to close her eyes from where she lay staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes were matte, depleated of any sort of life. It hurt, but that was the life of the Commonwealth. “Blood for blood. And to have my money paid back.”

Maddie shook her head, waltzing over to Hancock. “If you think I’m paying you back,” She leaned forward, those eyes working some sort of dark magic. She was level to level when it came to the fury, “You’re wrong.” Whipping around, she picked up one of the submachine guns from the corpse of the triggerman, nailing a few good rounds right through Bobbi’s midsection. It was cold and quick, and undoubtedly sexy. “We’re even.” She threw the gun at him, storming past him with her glorious strut.

Grabbing her by her shoulder, he yanked her back - and probably did more damage than good. Blood coated his palm, causing him to step back some. Maddie refused to show any sign of weakness in front of him. She was no bitch. “We’re not done yet. However,” He reached out for her again but she was like a mongrel, snapping at him with teeth bared.

“ _Don’t touch me_. I’ll be fine.” The truth was there was probably more than one bullet lodged into her right shoulder. That’s the one she needed to shoot with. Her aim wouldn’t be as steady, she’d miss more. That’s a risk she wouldn’t be willing to take out here.

“Look, here’s a doctor in town…” John took off his coat placing it on her wound. Straight through the leather of her suit exposing the palest, snow white skin he’d ever seen. The pressure would help the gushing rush of blood, Hancock thought. She was frozen, taking the coat into her own hands, arm crossed across her chest to hold it in place.

“Why in the hell are you helping me?” It wasn’t a demanding hot-headed yell. A genuine question.

“We help those that need help. You pulled off one hell of a heist. Makes me wish I did it myself.”

“That’s a weird fuckin' thing to say to someone who just killed your friend and robbed the place.”

“Takes guts and brains,” He added, walking out of the strongroom. Maddie followed behind him, “I admire that. Reminds me of why I got this whole fuckin’ mayor thing started to begin with. I wasn’t always this fucking… power hungry ghoul here. I was reasonable, a thief, robin hood.” Maddie was silent, listening to him ramble. “Which brings me to…” His dark eyes turned to her, a smug smirk on his face. “I’m traveling with you. Get out of town. Find me again.”

She stopped in her tracks. “No way.” Hancock laughed a genuinely amused chuckle. “You can try all your might. I’m coming with you, general. ” Her fingers twitched at her side, itching to grab her rifle and kill him on sight.

“I’ll kill you, first.” There was a still silence between the two of them. Hancock moved closer, standing a good foot or so higher than her. She came up to his chest but stood as tall as one of the remaining skyscrapers. A little beaten down, some broken, but there.

“Do it, _princess_.” He drawled, reaching over to inspect her wound in the process. “You broke out of a vault, on the ice, rebuilt the Minutemen one by one," He flashed her a devious little smile, "I suppose taking me out wouldn’t be too hard for little ol’ you, yeah?”

Maddie scowled at him, fully. It had been a rough day, and her body was weak. She wouldn’t ever tell him. It probably showed by the slow drag of her feet against the rubble, her strut turning into a limp. She was right, Hancock didn’t miss it. She was a valiant fighter, she’d go down swinging before ever admitting defeat. That was definitely admirable. “No response.” He hummed. She could muster just a huff, genuinely too tired. “You need any meds?” He asked gruffly, eyeballing her worriedly. He may be angry, but he wasn’t that much of a dick.

“I’m fine. Don’t touch me,” She reiterated. Hancock just sighed, sweeping her off her feet - literally. He kicked her ankles catching her when she fell back the swiftness of the movement made her dizzy but not enough. She caught the infamous little smirk and the way he said some witty response. “I can walk!” Maddie protested, glaring at him. “It’s my shoulder, not my fuckin’ legs.”

“Fight me, princess. Make me believe it.” As much as she would like to she had to admit her body was more tired than her actual head was, There were aches above her aches, and the stinging in her shoulder was borderline unbearable. “You better take me to the doctor. And let them care for me. I’ll be out of your hair.”

“I guess you thought I was kidding. You’re stuck with me. Wherever you go, I follow.”

_Opening Pandora’s box was an understatement._

Hancock was her new goddamn dogmeat. But this one could talk and drink and shoot up drugs.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Hancock couldn’t believe this woman hadn’t killed him yet. She took no shit from him and made it very clear she wasn’t with any sort of bullshit. He was cooly persistent in following her, looking back at what he’d become. Suppressing people’s freedom, losing that cool attitude and understanding of what it’s like to make a living, no matter how dark or messy. Maddie and Bobbi single-handedly struck his personal stash, killed his bodyguard, and now… It wasn’t his proudest moment but it had to be done. It was either leave or have the same fate as Vic himself.

He’d be damned to go out like that.

She had what it took to be a leader, she wasn’t some goody two shoe moron who let people walk on her, who kissed ass wherever she went. She was genuine, she was a stubborn little fighter who ran headstrong into any situation. Which is probably why they’re face to face with the Forged. She’s out of her mind, and this kind of excitement is exactly what he missed about being on the homefront.

“Ya really think daddy’s little boy is gonna come running back home?” Hancock panted, back pressed against one of the pillars. If ghouls could sweat, he’d be fucking drenched with it. Molten metal covered every turn as well as the molotovs being tossed their way. Maddie was next to him just a few feet away looking like the sexiest sweaty mess he’d seen. He’d add it to his wankbank later. That was the kind of mental image he loved to see.

“It’s either that or I’ll take him by the throat.” Maddie bit back, her eyes narrowed when another grenade whizzed past. It shattered against the wall spreading fire like a blooming flower. Gliding a foot to the left she twirled and shot a few quick rounds from her fancy little rifle raining down bodies left and right. Every move was calculated, every shot hardly missing. She was such a marvel to watch.

Hancock himself was being sure to cover every inch of her back, the two of them together made one hell of a team. Even if outside of combat this poor woman couldn’t seem to stand him or breathe the same air as him half the time. They seem to be on the same side of the coin thankfully. “These fuckers don’t know when to give up.” She cursed through clenched teeth. She brushed the back of her hand along her forehead swiping off the gallons of sweat raining down like the storm outside had been the day before.

Clad in combat armor from some Corvega she trashed that one wound Doctor Amari patched up was well hidden now. She learned her lesson. Not that Hancock felt the need to wear his own. His skin was his own sort of armor that would just scar and heal as nothing happened. That, and he didn’t fear the guy named death at all. He’d stared him in the face and laughed, seemingly blowing a kiss for later.

“Look who’s complaining.” Said he with that signature little smartass grin of his.

Maddie nudged one of the dead bodies with the toe of her boot. “Yeah, but I have something to fight for. These people here only know the life of looting, of murder, of hurting those innocent settlers. Stealing from those who worked too fucking hard to get what they have, no matter how big or small. That’s the sole purpose of the Minutemen. Protect and serve the people.” Hancock actually smiled at that.

“We need more people like you out on the homefront, homeskillet. just don't forget, I'm a mayor who's gotta stay pretty to keep such an ugly town afloat.” He flicked out a cigarette from his pocket wavering it over one of the burning bodies before him to light it. Maddie watched, the sheer swagger of someone like Hancock who seemed to be as careless as the next one. Taking a slow drag, the corners of his lips pulled up into a crooked grin. “You must be liking what you see. Ghouls are pretty fuckin’ sexy.”

“I’m just… You. You left to save yourself from being some kind of tyrant, just like those who started this war, to begin with. You wanna connect with your people, are you doing it for you, or for them?” The question caught him off guard he had to admit. He didn’t want to confess to her of all people he really was some sort of pussy, and running was all he’d known. Running from himself, running from responsibilities, running from any sort of happiness. Just because he’d done so much worse, a few good things he’d done didn’t even seem to make up for it.

“Well, look who’s feeling philosophical today.” He replied, blowing smoke out at her. “That’s for _me_ to figure out. My people mean a lot to me, and I’ll be damned if I make 'em feel like they’re unjust for just existing. I never wanted to rain down on people’s parades as I have been. You came along and challenged the very core. You remind me of a younger me, and that’s who I need. Staying in power too long would change me. Dictatorship isn’t my kind of style.” _To stop from becoming my brother,_ he wanted to finish.

Maddie’s eyes flickered along his face trying to decide exactly what he was feeling. He wore this mask of cool and collected. The only thing that gave it away was how he would clench his jaw or the fervent anger that was more than evident in the pools of ebony. She could read people easily, but Hancock was a section all of his own. His snarky remarks, the drugs, the drinking. He still clung to the things that made him feel human. Did he see himself as just some sort of monster now?

Hancock tossed the butt to the side, cracking his fingers in front of him. “You ready to get this freakshow back on the road?” He didn’t like the speculation she was impressing on him. She was too sharp, the last thing he wanted was for her to even consider what made him tick.

She didn’t respond, but inhaled through her nose and turned to the upper floor doors. One swift kick brought it open to a huge batch of decalescent steel, face to face with Slag who held a helpless settler at his feet. Neither needed to ask exactly why even from here they could see bits of scorned bones floating at the top. “That’s just sick…” Hancock mused.

“Kill her!” The man bellowed, he was hidden in power armor, only missing the helmet. Maddie felt a little bit of nervousness seeing someone so unbearably huge standing before such a helpless kid. The intimidation factor didn’t seem to work, Jake hesitated. He wasn’t made for this sort of raider lifestyle. “You don’t have to do this!” she found herself calling up. Slag turned, glaring her down, before facing him again. “If you want it this badly, you’ll do it. No one can join us if they can’t even pull a trigger on someone random. What the fuck are you gonna do when we come up against gunners? They’re ruthless.”

Sharing a glance, Hancock and Maddie both seemed to share the idea. “Go flank the left. I’ll go right. I’ll get Jake out of the line of fire, and we’ll take slag down together. This kid doesn’t want this kind of life.” Her voice didn’t quiver, there was no sign of fear. She was either too confident in her abilities, or she too just accepted whatever fate was in store for her, Hancock thought.

“You got it, boss.” They split like torn paper. She wrenched the Fitch kid back by his shirt collar, and she was too well aware of the vat of molten lava down below suddenly. One wrong step and in she’d go. She appeared so small before the walloping raider king of the bunch. Anything ballistic would bounce off of the heavy metal, the head was the only hope it seemed. “You leave him alone…” Maddie hissed rifle yet again in hand.

Grinning, the raider brought down the sword beheading the poor settler. He just kicked her aside into the metal below and even Maddie couldn’t hide the flinch. Slag just grinned, it was sickly. There were burn scars covering his neck, a scar adorning his cheek too. “He wanted this. His little family farm isn’t much, but it’d be a good way for us to stretch our resources. This kid wanted to join, he wants the freedom. No rules. All the chems, the booze, the immunity from such a small form of living. I know you know about that, don’t you?” The metal armor clunked when he stepped closer, and Maddie stepped back.

She couldn’t see Hancock behind such a bulky figure, but the guy’s speech had him in a silent battle. He could definitely understand this dude’s reasonings, but was it really worth it for innocent lives? To exchange something so precious for just some high?

He was a hypocrite for that.

“After all, we all know who you are, general…” Slag growled, the sword being drawn. “And we want everything you got.”

“There’s not so much of awe, just you now.” She shot back, her eyes never leaving the murderously furious ones of the raider. “We took them down one by one, made them suffer. Eye for an eye motherfucker.” Slag swung then, and she easily ducked out of the way. There was such a minimal platform for her to work on, and with someone as gargantuan as Slag in the way, she had to be quick and unequivocal in her form of attack. “You don’t kill innocent people and not expect someone to come looking for you.”

Hancock grinned, pumping his gun. The cocking metal caught slag who seemed to forget his arrival. “You brought a knife to a gunfight.” He purred, looking completely unimpressed. “Such a medieval way to go.” Maddie couldn’t stop the snort. Wise ass.

“You’re both gonna die!” Slag roared, swinging left and right and back again. Maddie launched herself like a missile from a turret, legs going around the middle of the armor. They were thin enough to hook onto the metal between the thighs and midsection, rifle barrel pressed right up against his neck. There was a feral look in her eyes, no one would take from the people her and her men protected. A simple essence was taken today, he’d pay. Jake would go home. She knew what it was like to lose a child, and she wanted no one else to feel that pain.

Slag grabbed at her hair that had sprung loose from the bun, wrenching her up like she was nothing. Pain flared from her scalp, and she cried out. Hancock growled, “I’m feral now!” Shooting once, and twice, and missing. The first rounds struck him somewhere, Slag stumbled to the side, Maddie landed on her feet. Her rifle lay to the left, balancing on the ledge. “John!” She called to him. Upon hearing his first name, by her, he snapped his attention to her. “Kick it over here!”

There wasn’t any time to waste, Slag was already stable, sword pointed at her. The ghoul slid right over like a baseball player hitting home base. He swooped up the gun in the process tossing it over to her. “For the Commonwealth!” Three automatic rounds fired into the guy. His head jerked back with each one, collapsing with a thunderous thud. The sword skidded over the edge. Maddie gasped, “Fuck, no!” Gripping the blade as it slipped down. Hancock flinched, but her adrenaline was kicking far too much for her to even register the fact she totally just sliced open her palm.

She was looking for Jake Fitch, finding him nearly coward in a corner. “Hey, are you okay?” Her voice was soft, those brown eyes matching her tone. “What were you thinking?” Hancock made his way over, inspecting her all the while just to make sure there wasn’t blood coming from anywhere else. If she was hurt anywhere else, she wasn’t showing it. She was a mother and a general all at once right now.

“I... “ The poor kid looked way over his head, looking back and forth between her and Hancock. “My family, my dad. He’s not gonna let me back…” Hancock could sympathize with the boy. He was young, he made mistakes. After all, he didn’t really kill anyone. He made it obvious when that settler had to answer to Slag instead of him.

“We’ll convince them to let ya back.” He found himself saying before Maddie could respond.

“I wanted them to just leave me alone…” Jake sighed, rubbing his face with filthy palms. He looked to the sword now braced in the general’s other hand. “My grandma, my father. We don’t have a lot, but that sword… That’s all we got left of the rest of our family…” Maddie blinked in confusion, looking down at it. She handed it over slowly, glancing around for any form of fabric to wrap her hand.

“Let’s get you back, and let’s get you guys some protection.” She stalked ahead leaving the two men to follow.

The two wanderers found shelter in one of the shacks she built inside the sanctuary. Even in post-war Apocalyptica, Maddie couldn’t bring herself to leave home. “My real home is the one I gave to one of the settlers. She has a toddler, so I had to give it to her.”

“For the sake that you couldn’t give it to Shaun?” Hancock hummed, shuffling to flop back on the couch sitting against one of the walls.

“I’m hoping one day.” The words were spoken so tenderly. He wasn’t sure if he was meant to even pick up on them. The Commonwealth wasn’t forgiving, he himself knew that. It was inspiring that she was fueled by something like that. Vengeance too, he was sure. Even he knew the probability of finding him even alive was... Slim to none.

Maddie just breathed out a sigh, unbuckling her armor with loud clanks and grinds, a few hisses too. She shrugged out of the jumpsuit she wore beneath it exposing her silky soft skin, colored by a few dark bruises. Those disturbances only added to the very essence this curious little vault-dweller proceeded to be. She was bare with only thin underwear. He was suddenly thankful her back was to him, so she couldn’t see just how much he was enjoying the strip show.

Her dark hair released down her back, and the jet decided then would be such a wonderful time to kick in. Moving at the speed of a sloth, those dark tresses cascaded down her back in midnight waves. If she stepped outside right now she’d appear part of the gorgeous nightlife. The moon above was jealous of just how much she was glowing. She knelt down to shrug into a tattered tank top with some sort of faded emblem on it. She turned on the balls of her feet to pick up the shorts in front of a dresser when she caught his stare.

He didn’t even try to hide the fact he was breathing in her succulency. Not that he could react in time. Her eyelashes brushed those mighty cheeks when she blinked, and those eyes just twinkled. They danced like little fairies in the meadows he read up on in some discarded Disney book he’d scrounged from Boston Library. They searched his soul like they had some sort of mission to uncover all his darkest secrets. She rose at the waist with a frown, saying something he couldn’t exactly catch.

“Yeah?” He breathed gruffly.

“You’re high.” He managed to make out. Was that relief in her voice?

“You liking what you see or something?” She was teasing, there wasn’t any blistering hostility in her voice like he would suspect. Watching how he covered her back helped earn some of her trust, not to mention how she’d busted him helping to fix some of the settler’s broken doors from an attempted raider attack.

Hancock just smirked, “Loving it.” He sipped the beer he placed next to himself on the coffee table. Maddie just grinned affectionately and goddamn, did his heart seem to sore. It was pure, the only thing refined. It brought colors, magenta, violet, it colored the dusty depressing gray around him. Maybe it was the psycho he took not too long before the jet and the few shots of whiskey. Now this beer.

It was her, he knew. The inclining to want to be nearer to her, but for once, not wanting to destroy her. He didn’t know how long it’d be before he skipped out on her too, but this wasn’t someone you went running from. Not even her righteous fits of rage when a screw wouldn’t fit, or the violent ways she would snap enemies necks like a piece of a boatfly wing. That was what seduced him about her. She was so mighty, so pure, dare he even say holy. She held herself so high, as high as he stayed. Lately, he found her presence to be the only drug he needed.

Maddie shook her head, taking the path of the short hallway to the large bed in the middle of it. “Set up the trap for me.” She called out to him. The ghoul just rose up, leaning against the bedroom doorway. “No way, princess.” He said. “You got me to watch your back. I’ll be right here.” His words drew her up short, kneeling halfway on the bed.

“Don’t you need to sleep?” Her eyebrows rose up, and he found himself chuckling at her naivety. “Ghouls don’t need sleep.” He countered.

“Not exactly all the time. That’s one of the best parts, we party all night, baby.” Her tongue darted out over her cracked lip tasting the metal of the wound there. The blankets ruffled when she slipped under it and she sighed exasperatedly in relief. “Well,” She began slowly, “if that’s the case, turn off the light for me. We’ve got a long trip to free the castle tomorrow. Freedom calls early.”

“Better than not at all,” Hancock replied, moving to sit next to her. She felt the bed dip, taking one of the straw pillows and smacking him with the arm she didn’t have tucked under her pretty little head. “Just stay on your side.” She warned. “No funny business.”

Pretending to pout, he leaned down to mumble, “That’s kind of hard when you’re so close.”

Yet so far.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Hancock found himself enjoying Maddie’s presence more than usual. There was such a serenity listening to the even deep breathing, the occasional toss and turn to expose her pillow flushed face. She looked ages younger when there weren’t any outside stresses acting on her. Her dark hair swept over her cheek, mixing with the drool weeping out of the corner of her mouth. The ghoul took it upon himself to brush it back out of her face. Because you know. Safety. Didn’t need the General of the Minutemen choking on her hair. What a way to go.

Brushing the desolated surface of his fingertips along her cheek, she nuzzled right back against it, a smile twitching on her sleeping face. She seemed to sense him sitting right by her because next thing he knew, her head was there on his lap. Frozen, the ghoul thought of ways to push her off. Only because he knew if she woke up like that he’d never hear the end of whatever fight she wanted to pick.

It was commendable having such an angel face suckling up to him, even if she was unaware. He tucked the blanket to her chin when it grazed just beneath her elbow. He was warm, he knew. Ghouls didn’t have the normal porous sweat glands most humans did, because well, he wasn’t. He may feel like a man and bleed occasionally, but at the end of the day, he was shunned because of his looks.

He had no one to blame but himself. It was always gonna be a bitter reminder of the man he tried to destroy all those years ago. This girl though, she made him… feel. More than the excitement of the unknown dangers, she gave him that little bit of a push that this whole world, or his part at least, was gonna be worth fighting for. After all, he got a taste of the pavement she was laying down for this little radiated green brick road. These settlers had food, water, electricity. They had protection from projectiles to the soldiers she commanded herself.

He continued threading his fingers through the brunette locks running along his lap, decorating the blankets like little cobwebs. It seemed to help her restlessness, because next thing he knew, the sun was peeking through the curtains. He softly tugged her head back to the pillows, sliding her arm under her head to support it. He was soundless as he dipped out of the little cottage to get himself some fresh air.

To clear his head where she wasn’t there to cloud his judgment. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the feelings she put inside him, it was the fact for him, they never lasted. He didn’t want to get as attached to her as he was to the chems weighing heavy in his pocket right now. The mayor took in a slow deep breath and just trecked around Sanctuary Hills. A few of the members of the settlement were up harvesting food, the few shops occupied. “Good morning, Mr. Hancock.” Codsworth greeted, if he had a face, he’d be bearing that polite little smile. “Is mum with you?”

“Does she look it?” He replied, shaking his head in return. “She’s still sleeping. She’s been a busy little stingwing.” He glanced around looking for the medical tent, just because he needed a stronger fix than the mentats, and to bring in some caps to the place. “She has been taking care… Hasn’t she?”

“Of course, Codsworth. She ain’t got nothin’ to worry about with me covering her. I’m not gonna let any harm come to her if I can help it.” The robot butler nodded with his whole frame, zipping past to help with the crops, he guessed. He reminded himself to ask Princess about what the whole robot thing was about. He conversed with the medic in town, gaining a few rounds of stimpaks, and of course psycho. Because who the hell doesn’t like feeling invincible?

He turned on his boots going back to his little exploration. He froze before the house, the name Preston on the mailbox. He poked his dark eyes in to see if there was anyone still sleeping, making his way to the nursery. Everything in here looked prewar, the crib paint chipping, and cracked, but stable in the frame. The blankets were a little rumpled from where it's been used, he guessed. He couldn’t stop himself from spinning the little mobile above. It didn’t make a noise, just swirled and twirled and twirled.

He continued watching it for just a little when Mr. Martin cleared his throat. The ghoul turned his head a fraction of the way, catching his eye from the corner of his own. “Don’t mind me,” Hancock said. “Taking a tour of the town. Sorry if I disturbed you.”

“You didn’t disturb me, no.” The scruffy bearded guy responded. “Heard there was another famous face in town, I had to see for myself.” The ghoul just snorted, turning to face him with that calm demeanor.

“Pretty cool to bask in my very presence, huh? It’s a nice little village you guys have set up here.” The man agreed with a slow nod, turning his attention to the nursery.

“The general gave this place to my family and I. We were running from some gunners when she spotted us. Offered us some cover. We hid the baby in one of our sacks, and when she stumbled upon us I’d been wounded.” He explained. “She heard the baby crying, found her before she could see us just a few feet away. She told us of this place and said she had a room just for us. Said it used to belong to her son, and she helped us care for our little Lucy while we healed. She’s a natural mother. Makes me hope her son turns up for her.”

Hancock nodded slowly, glancing towards the direction where her new home resided, thinking of that sleeping beauty who stayed cuddled up to him all night. “We all do.” He admitted sorrowfully. “She helps everyone else before herself sometimes. She’s determined, that’s something we can all learn from the General.” Breathing out a refreshing sigh, he clapped the man on the back. “Since I’ll be in town more often, let me treat you and your family to some drinks and a meal, all on me.”

Maddie woke with a slow start, her palm cupping the spot where Hancock had been the night prior. She wasn’t surprised to find it empty and cold. She rose up on her elbows with a yawn, sitting up at her waist. She rubbed her knuckles into her eyes when Hancock entered the room with his signature saunter. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, princess.” He said with a smirk, setting a plate and some water next to the bed on the nightstand.

“You would know all about sore eyes.” She hoarsely croaked in reply, threading her fingers through hair and sweeping it over her right shoulder exposing her heinous battle scar. It was nothing more than a raised wilt now. “It seems so much better when I see there’s still something pretty to gawk at, hard being the only other attractive one around here.”

He sat right in front of her on the edge of the bed. He moved the plate over to her. “We got a long day today, princess. Even someone as strong as you need to eat.” She was distracted by her pipboy, checking the messages Garvey sent her way. She laced the terminal back around her wrist and even he could see how her arm gained three pounds just from happenstance. She faced him with a warmer smile, “Thank you.”

He just smiled in return and looked away while she dug into the plate of carrots. He’d cooked them himself with a few seasonings grown around here. He kept it a secret someone as irresponsible as he knew how to make the food taste more like it, than just soil and well… Raw vegetables. She was thankful and even expressed it to the ghoul. “Thank you. I didn’t realize how famished I really was”

“Yeah, well I did. If we’re gonna be traveling together and bunking in the same place, we gotta look out for one another. Not just in battle.” He wiggled his wrinkled fingers into his overcoat fishing for the flask he refilled. He took a swig, handing it over to her.

“This early?” Maddie asked softly, one of her eyebrows cocking up in disbelief. She giggled in amusement and took it anyways, swallowing it down much stronger than someone who just woke up should have.

“Well, General. Never knew you could handle such a synth cleaning component so well.” She shrugged and shoved her plate aside. Rising to her feet she stretched up fully pulling the clothing up to expose her navel and carved abdomen. He pretended not to see every muscle pulling beneath her skin, resisting the urge to touch out and feel her all for himself.

“Used to be a champion drinker back in my prime, Hancock.” She replied. She walked over to her dresser searching for a newer something to wear. “We have to meet Preston at the castle. They cleared out whatever monster made itself home there. We have to go meet Ronnie Shaw.” The name caused John’s invisible eyebrows to shoot up. “Minutemen, Ronnie Shaw? The grandma?”

Blinking a few times, she turned to look at him with furrowed brows. “You’re from this time, I’m not. Your guess is as good as mine.” She shrugged into her general uniform, the navy blue stark against her complexion. It looked tailor to fit her, and he felt himself laughing when she slipped on a matching tricorn hat. She whipped around when she fitted her weapon’s belt around her slender waist. “Something funny, mayor?”

“I don’t seem to be the only one digging the older century clothing.” He smugly turned to her, tipping his own hat at her. “Yeah, well,” She slammed the drawer shut walking over to him. He loved how tiny she was, but goddamn that attitude of hers could make him feel three feet tall, “Mine was handed down to me. Well, not exactly. The guy was dead, however,”

Maddie pulled down the blazer, fixing the cufflinks. “I don’t think you can say the same.” Hancock simply shrugged. “If finding it in a museum counts, sure.”

She stuffed plasma cartridges into one of the pockets once her ammo was too full to hold it. “You just get bored and go wandering, John? Needed an outfit change?” She purred, that taunting little mug grinning back at him now. The ghoul walked over, helping to flip down the collar of her jacket. The back of his digits brushed along her neck, sending shivers down her spine from the gentle contact. His skin was much softer than it appeared to Maddie, bumpy with scarring but otherwise… Still skin. Kind of like the newer skin you get after a sunburn.

“I needed a more… Fitting, one instead. John Hancock was an American rebel, as you put it, right?” She nodded, eyes wandering up his arm, meeting those black beads for eyes. “Yeah,” she mumbled. “I did. You’re not much from the purpose he served.”

She moved a little closer, tilting her head with such a kitten like curiosity, she reached out and caught the sleeve of his jacket. “Forgive me,” She said, lifting it up to his elbow with a few simple rolls, “but… I never noticed how to like… delicate your skin is.” Delicate. That’s a new one. “I haven’t exactly met too many ghouls. I mean, I’ve definitely spoken to Daisy and a few settlers. But…” Her contact made him swallow whatever bubble suddenly swayed up from his stomach.

“Not every ghoul would be fond of someone touching them. Of course, when it’s a pretty little face…” He jutted under her chin with his knuckle, slowly removing his arm from her hold. “We’re not as ugly as our skin makes us look.”

“That’s not where I was getting at, it’s just… rougher than it looks, I suppose. I was expecting sandpaper. It kind of reminds me of Brahmin hide, but… With the touch of cloth.” Hancock was buttoning up his cufflinks listening to her and found himself more amused than anything.

“You’ve just been looking for a reason to touch me, Maddie.”

“If I really wanted to,” She retorted, eyes narrowing at him with that tiny shit eating grin curling up on her full little lips, “I’d have you on your knees for me.” She walked past him dramatically swinging her little hips, knowing full damn well she left him doing more than just a little gaping after her. This woman was definitely gonna be one hell of a problem for him. And goddamn, was she just the right amount of shit to dig into.

Crunching the gravel beneath their boots, the two heathens made their way with weapons in hand, along the dusty commonwealth atmosphere. Maddie was taking in each crumbling building, seeing remnants of a world long time forgotten by war. Ravaged by selfishness and weapons that not even the God above should have the power to create. Wiping out humanity like bowling pins during a tournament. “How weird was it to come out of that vault and be faced with such a monstrosity like this place?” Hancock’s gruff voice broke through over the cigarette there in his mouth. “I can only imagine coming from your point of view, realizing you’ve been a goddamn popsicle for over two hundred years.”

Maddie was considering the pondering words, as to not offend him. Yet, she still couldn’t even begin to explain just how unsettling it’d been to see such a lustrous world turned so vile, like a Tim Burton daydream. Not even someone like Stephen King could create the monsters the Commonwealth proceeded. “Still trying to wrap my head around it, dude.” She said with a disappointed shake of the head. “I came face to face with a deathclaw trying to rescue Preston from fuckin’ Concord. I have never been so utterly horrified in my life.”

She swiped the cigarette from Hancock’s mouth, and he wasn’t even mad. Nor did he bother pulling out another. “There is no way you went up against a deathclaw straight out that place,” John said, stomach jumping at that. “Those things are easily the most perilous creatures I’ve ever come across.”

“Imagine using a minigun for the first time, the kickback kicked my ass more than that thing did. I was recovering for what felt like fucking weeks. I’ll never, ever forget the horrid utter realization I was facing the worst travesty on my own.” Her dark eyes faced forward, taking in an abandoned riverside tackle shop off to the left of them. “I had to become my own healer, my own weapon. Helping the people of the commonwealth has been one of the only things I’ve gleefully had to help get me through. I can’t change what happened to me, but I can change the outcome for someone else.”

“Think you could do that for me, princess?” He looked up at her, watching her puff like a train on that butt. She spits it aside and dug it out with her toe of her shoes. “Hancock,” She laughed out loud, “help for you is long gone.”

“That’s hurtful.”

“Something tells me you’ve accepted it for a while now, though.”

“Stick with me and you might just learn a thing or two.”

“As if I’d leave now, my excitement has just begun.” Hancock grinned over at her, and she smiled right on back. Maddie was starting to really appreciate him coming along. Considering everything she’d fought through, well, it was a welcome change to have someone there, remind herself that not exactly everything had been lost. It definitely wasn’t… The Massachusetts she recalled, but, it was there still/ She was breathing, walking, talking. A wild fucking ride, it seemed so unbelievable she was truly existing in a world full of mutants and zombies, and an invisible boogeyman. The Institute.

“General,” A tall slender black male walked over to the two of them, wearing a tanned uniform with a matching cowboy hat, a laser musket lowered to his waist. He didn’t bore an expression, no smile, a rather plain individual. “Hey, Preston,” Maddie replied, offering a kind smile his way. She seemed to miss the way his eyes lingered there on Hancock, an expression of both disdain and shock written in is dark eyes.

Behind him flanked a woman in a Gunners uniform with a sniper’s baret on her graying head. She reminded him of a mutant hound with the way her face sagged with old age. Splintered lines puckered her thin lips, and her eyes were as hard as rocks when she spotted Maddie. John didn’t like the way she sized her up as if she was just some fucking carrot in the ground. No doubt that had to be Ronnie Shaw. “Who’s this?” Hancock asked, jerking his chin over to her.

Preston turned to the left with a little sidestep, but the loud woman burst through with a voice as irritating as she looked. “Ronnie Shaw. Ex-minuteman. It’s about time you showed up.” Maddie’s eyes flashed dangerously in response, lips in a very tight line.

“I don’t have to answer to you, soldier.” She gritted out, and Hancock chuckled at that earning him a glare himself. “You don't get a pass just because everybody calls you General. In the Minutemen, you've got to earn respect.”

“I’d say she damned well deserves it now.” He bit at her, eyes narrowing at the butch lady.

“I've heard some good things. Wouldn't be here otherwise.”

“At least we're trying to help people. Can you say the same?” Maddie demanded, her temper flaring. These two were a match made in hell, Hancock thought, Stubborn, prideful, and needed to get the tension fucked out of both of them. Except Ronnie probably couldn’t get her to dick up high enough if she tried.

Shaw huffed through her nose, “Don't get testy with me, missy. I was field-stripping laser muskets when you were still in diapers.”

Hancock’s eyebrows shot up. “I guess you really are that old... “ He mused, Preston, shooting him the deadliest glare. He just smiled cheekily right on back.

Maddie launched herself just inches away from Ronnie, a tiny little thing with a dynamite attitude without a fear in this goddamn world. Hancock couldn’t fight that grin, Preston appearing disapproving about it. “You call me missy again…” Maddie purred low, a grumble there in her chest full of all the negativity this old woman brought out of her, “and you'll find out exactly how far I can shove my boot up your ass.” That was his girl.

“Oh, so you do have a backbone. Good. I wouldn't fight for anyone who lets me push them around.” Ronnie was smirking, loving how feisty their leader was. She was no Joe Becker, and she could respect that.

“Hard to believe you were a minuteman at all,” Maddie said nonchalantly. “General, now-” Preston stepped between the two ladies feeling their dick measuring contest peeking to a dangerous start. Hancock folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head with those eyes directly on him.

“You might wanna get out of the way, Garvey. Wouldn’t wanna be on the receiving end of that grenade.” He said. Preston’s jaw locked but he did exactly that and stepped back in his place. He had no idea why, out of all the people she could choose from, she chooses some ghoul junkie who probably couldn’t even aim to save his life.

“What? You don't think an old broad like me can fight? I could kick your butt... punk.”

Those words made the general snap. “Hancock, take this shit.” She threw her belt at him, cocking her chin up at Ronnie. “Grandma, you just made my fuckin’ day.” The ghoul drawled, stepping back a few steps.

“Bring it on.” Maddie buzzed, already squared up and ready to blow.

Ronnie threw the first punch stammering her just a little. Maddie was potent and sharp and very much rapid. A solid right hook to the face, three breakneck blows to her jaw. The elder minuteman gotta a good few hits in herself. Maddie felt her busted lip springing back open and her nose was screaming and begging her to back down before it ended up anymore broken, but Ronnie was wearing down now. She stumbled to the side, panting deliberately.

The general threw a kick right into her gut with every inch of firepower her little body could handle, and Ronnie fell back on her ass in defeat. “You got that out of your system?” Preston demanded, helping her up.

“I think she’s ready to talk now…”

Maddie just grinned in satisfaction turning back to see Hancock watching her with such a genial smirk she found her stomach erupting into butterflies. She took her belt slowly with her eyes never leaving his in the process. She swallowed audibly whipping around to stop herself from continuing on with how suddenly self-conscious she felt in his survey. Sighing, she looked at Ronnie. “I guess I am.”

The two started to walk towards the barracks of the castle with Hancock right behind them. Preston put a hand on his chest stopping him there in his tracks. “Mind explaining what you’ve got going on with the General?” What is this guy, her father? His face was drawn with that same vanilla expression he always had.

“Garvey, not that it’s any of your concern, but look.” Hancock looked over from the two women, then to him. “You know just as well as I do this girl here needs to be protected. She can hold her own for sure, but we need her.” He added the last part softly, not wanting his rep to be tainted by going soft. “The commonwealth isn’t a forgiving place, and if something ends up happening to her, the good fight disperses.”

The black man nodded slowly, turning his focus onto Maddie. There was an obvious tenderness inclined towards her, and what it was, he didn’t know. Had to be a soldier thing. “I respect her. She’s our one hope. The institute has drawn everything to a close. There’s hope for the hopeless, mayor. I don’t think I could be strong enough to go through what she has if I was in her shoes.”

Though Hancock agreed, he didn’t wanna exchange pleasantries with this kid. He wasn’t exactly someone he’d consider… Deep, exactly. Not with the reserved disapproval, he radiated to seeing a ghoul in the presence of this so-called holy land. Maddie broke her eye contact with the newfound soldier, catching John’s eye. He winked, and even from where he stood, he could see a flush coming to her cheeks and the twitch of a grin on her mouth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is just kind of a filler bc i was so tired of fighting the fluff, so kind of enjoy.

Maddie had no clue how drunk Hancock was, but this ghoul was having the time of his life. Back in Goodneighbor together, she was meeting with her friend, MacCready. Just to catch up. That was until she heard the whole bar singing along to some old time war hymn. “Sounds like Hancock is definitely back.” MacCready said. They walked out of the little lobby area to find him standing on the counter, glass of whiskey in hand singing offhandedly. When he spotted her, he hopped down with a sideways tumble. She was quick to steady him, and an arm went right around her to pull her against his side. “You’re a lotta fun you know that?”

His voice was as warm as the liquor in his hand, and he was much, much closer than  what was comfortable. “You’re very drunk.” She laughed, pressing her palm against his chest to softly tug herself free of him. “And you, are one hell of a minx.” He slipped back onto a stool, raising his arms. “These people, these misunderstood comrades,” He called once the jukebox had been dialed down by the retired gunner himself. “Are my people, this is a safe haven.”

The townsfolk harrahed in return and she had to admit, he was quite the people person when under the influence. “To Goodneighbor!” He raised his drink, everyone else’s clinking together. Magnolia’s eyes were shining with the knowing intention that she had been very much correct about this town’s good ol’ leader. The whole time she performed, Hancock never once really took his eyes off of Maddie when she was in the room.

The smooth jazz was doing something to him for sure. Between the booze, the setting music, and the beautiful girl gracing his presence, he felt on top of the world. Right where he belonged. “Hey, share her, would ya?” John said, walking over to where Maddie and MacCready were conversing. He drew an arm around her shoulder, a sloppy crooked smile on his lips. “I know she’s irresistible, but c’mon, Mac.” The gunner just snorted with a shake of his head, patting his old friend on the shoulder when he passed by.

“Just don’t scare her away, Hancock. You know where to find me, Mads.” He called back at her. She smiled back at him and John had to admit, he wanted to be the only one she expressed like that. “Why don’t you say we blow this joint, eh?” He rasped in her ear.

“And go where, exactly?” She replied, those brown eyes the only lights he needed in the place. They twinkled so brightly, an amused beam stretching across that perfect face of hers. Backing her up against the wall nearby one of the chairs, he braced a hand right above her pinning her there between it and himself.

There was that color on her cheeks again, causing him to chuckle. He curled his finger under her chin tilting it up to get a real, long gawk at her. She caught the corner of her lower lip between her teeth like she always did when she was nervous. He ran his thumb along it to release it feeling the silky skin of her cheek with his hand cupped right beneath her jaw. “Anywhere with you is where I’d wanna be, princess.”

Maddie swallowed nervously not knowing how to react in this situation exactly. John was one hell of a charming flirt, and him being under the influence was just one giant charge to his ego battery. She slowly pushed him away feeling her heart hammering in her chest. “Not when you’re this drunk.” She said softly. He was persistent though and he just smiled that alluring little crooked smirk.

“So when I’m just a little twisted up in the tango with bourbon?” He looped an arm around her waist pressing them together again, and she didn’t want to keep fighting him on it. “Listen, Maddie…” He spoke her name so, so softly, and those dark little eyes of his were contradicting as can be. There was lust swirling in her reflection in them, and her temptation was screaming at her to just give in. There’d be a huge chance if she succumbed, he wouldn’t remember. But did she really want that?

“Don’t say my name like that…” She whispered, watching him drawing a hand to cup the back of her neck tipping her head back to _really_ stare at him. “Like what, doll?” He purred, head tilting just a fraction.

“Like it isn’t the most hottest fucking word that’s ever came out of my mouth? Because lemme tell you, it is.”

She licked along her lips slowly purely just out of anxiety, placing her palms gently on the forearms holding her. “We need to get you out of here before you drain Charlie again.” Hancock just laughed, “I’ll just send someone else to go fetch some more.” Shaking her head, she tried wiggling, but being like this wasn’t so bad… His arms were so much stronger than she ever gave them credit to be, and he was so, so warm…

“Give in for one night…” Hancock whispered, brushing her long hair back to expose her neck. He ducked his head down to pepper the most innocent little nips where her pulse met each kiss. Her breath left in a tremble, and the ghoul just smirked knowingly. “You can’t hide from me, not for long… You’re wanting it just as bad as myself…” His lips danced right up along her jaw, and she repelled with just the tiniest of tugs.

The rejection was enough to have him looking at her, not in an angry way. Nor a sad one. Just a longing. They both knew by the morning, this would be a one sided forgotten memory. He may be resilient to addictions, and may need to take in so much more to feel the effect, but little bits of humanity still did cling to him in that way. “I think we need to get out of here.” Maddie repeated, leaving the room in a swift movement as if to reiterate exactly what she meant.

Hancock just sighed, rubbing his palm along his face watching her retreat, and MacCready knowingly watching him from one of the tables near the stairs. He followed behind her, finding his footing just a _little_ tumultuous. Maddie sighed irritably watching him from the top and leaned an arm out for him to grab onto. He hooked his arm inside of hers letting her lead him out. Ham just shook his head used to seeing this sort of scenario play out before, but with all the different broads he’d seduce. Maddie was the first one to be so fucking repellent to it, though. Her will was much stronger than he could ever give her credit for being.

The streetlights outside burned his eyes, it was a much stark difference between the Third Rail and the town. “Goddamn…” He grumbled, throwing an arm over his eyes. “We have just a few more steps to the statehouse.” Maddie said, shaking her head with a sort of disappointed sigh.

“You gonna join me?” Hancock teased, pulling her closer by the latch of her arm through his own. Maddie giggled actually, and said, “You’re gonna get in the bed and sleep this off. I’ll keep watch over you tonight.” He liked that idea he decided. Once inside they took it a step at a time until he blew the doors to his bedroom wide open. One of the triggermen must have cleaned up while he was away, because the bits of a stranger’s clothing were long gone. He wasn’t dirty, just usually too busy to tidy up himself.

Maddie pushed him to the bed where he just flopped back, an arm under his head. He looked like a staple of seduction, he thought. He arched up a knee, lazily peering over at her in the moonlit room. Through the windows she was a holy figure. A halo surrounded her slim figure, the moon kissing her skin exposed through the shorts and shirt, such a simple combo. She pulled it off like the most devastatingly beautiful thing he’d ever laid his eyes on. “You’re the best damn thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of coming across in a long, long time.” He drawled.

The woman was walking in front of the bed to close the curtains. Her fingers curled along the thin satin when she looked at him. The drapes hissed along the metal rod taking her away from him in the darkness of the room. She returned when the lamp in the corner of the room flicked on. “Keep talking, Hancock…” She muttered. “You’re not gonna remember by the time you wake up tomorrow morning.”

That’s where she was wrong. “You don’t see how people look at you when you walk in a room I’m guessing?” He said, watching that long ass hair come down from the bun she always held it in. “They either cowar or they just stare, Especially in this town.” She replied coolly with her back to him. He reached over to hook his fingers into the back of her shirt to get her attention.

“Nah, you’re a hell of a woman, Maddie. I think this even when I’m a sober motherfucker.” He yanked her back with a sudden brutalness. She fell back with a shock sort of squeak with her back against his stomach. He grinned to himself, “So much better. If only you were on top in a more compromising and comfortable position, we’d be getting somewhere.”

She rolled her eyes and sat up murmuring, “You wouldn’t be able to handle it if it came down to it.” Hancock grinned, brushing the back of his fingers along her arm. She was perched on the edge of the bed, and he couldn’t get enough of how soft she was. “Don’t challenge me, Mads.” He said. “That’s how you got stuck with me in the first place.”

“I’m still trying to get rid of you.” Her words were harsh, but her tone was so affectionate it made him wanna vomit. Or maybe he really _was_ that drunk. Shit. “You suck at it then, princess.” He caught her hand in his. It was so dainty inside of his own making him smile.

Maddie was measuring his expression carefully, searching for a sign of what he was thinking. Not that he hadn’t made it too obvious yet, but… It didn’t seem fair to be feeling something for someone else, not with what Nate… The fate he ruptured to. “C’mere…” He slurred, pulling her close anyways. She fell chin first in his chest, she pushed on the mattress to sit up when his lips were on hers. It was hard, possessive almost. Frozen in place, Maddie felt him adjusting her position so she was laying on him instead of twisted awkwardly in a leaning position.

With shaking hands she cupped his face and he moaned in reply to the movement. Fireworks were blasting off every which way inside her head, her abdomen, warning signs flashing. The only comfort was the fact that hey, maybe he wouldn’t recall this in the morning. His arms looped back around her holding her right in place like a missing puzzle piece. The kiss softened up until their lips just moved lazily and in sync. It was a slow dance that they fell into like clockwork.

She had to breathe though, and pulled away. She didn’t meet his eyes when she sat up, not liking the fact she just kissed someone else when… When she still wore the golden band around her finger. “I’ve been waiting to do that.” He mused, unaware of the tension emitting from him.

“You should probably sleep this off.” Maddie murmured, rising off the bed like it was fire burning her ass through her shorts.

“Ghouls don’t need sleep.” He countered like a stubborn child.

“No, but you do.” She replied. “To sober up by morning.”

"You’re no fun.” Hancock protested, but slid his hat over his face anyhow.

It was quiet until the ghoul erupted into ripper like snores. She rose up and stuck a Med-x on the pillow beside him, because she wasn’t gonna be back by morning. She needed to be by herself, to chase away the taste of him there on her mouth. “Sneaking out?” One of the triggermen, Tom, asked. He was standing by the office door, no doubt seeing and hearing the conversation due to the door being left open.

She just grimaced at him, racing down the swirling steps with a heavy groan. Even the outside air felt like it was trying to choke her, she felt terrible. Terrible that she didn’t feel absolutely hateful for feeling something for someone else when she’d been a married woman. If he was still here, he’d be at her side. Not him. But he wasn’t coming back. He was gone. He’s been gone for… For so long. She watched him die with her own eyes.

She tried to fight the oncoming tears, standing right outside of Daisy’s shop, out in the view of Hancock’s bedroom window. This was all so messed up, all of it. The bombs, her husband, her baby. God, it felt like a nightmare that never seemed to fucking end. She was in charge of a militia against whoever the fuck this Institute was, with no fucking lead on where to find her child, and where to avenge her husband’s death. “You all right?”

A voice of a nearby drifter caught her off guard. She didn’t feel the need to be as defensive when she first arrived, so she kept her weapon holstered. He was bald with glasses, just in jeans and a plaid button down. “Fine.” she retorted, trying to stop the onslaught assault running down her face. She continued to the door to leave the town when he came to her side, brushing her hand from the knob. “You’re anything but.”

“Everything isn’t okay.” She snapped back, looking at this stranger. “I need to get out and be on my way. I have things to work on.” Deacon just stared through and through at her. He’d watched her come out of the mayor’s home, and could only understand the rumors of them being somewhat true. “Without your partner in crime? Is he aware of where you’re going?”

“It doesn’t matter, really.” She replied.

“Well, you’re leaving in a hurry, a little bit of a mess… You expect me to believe that you don’t need some sort of comforting or something? Who’s to say you won’t throw yourself into a super mutant trap out there?” Deacon felt his eyebrow quirk up when Maddie scoffed.

“Because I can handle my own. People need a break sometimes.”

“It’s no secret who you are, but don’t leave Hancock by himself. The guy means well. You up and leaving is gonna send him into a sort of binging panic. He cares for all of us here.” Maddie couldn’t believe this nosy fucker here. “The fuck do you know about any of this? Who says Hancock has anything to do with any of this?”

Deacon deadpanned like it wasn’t the most sobering thing he’d heard. “You ran out of there like the guy bludgeoned a cat in front of your very eyes, and he wasn’t the most sober when you guys left the Third Rail-”

“Have you been following us?” She demanded, feeling her fingers twitch. She fisted her hands at her side, ready to swing on the perv. “Are you another Piper or what?”

He just breathed out a sigh, “The city is small, and I’ve got nothing better to do with my time.” He countered. “Just go stay at the Rexford or something. See how you feel in the morning. Don’t go throwing yourself into something you won’t get yourself out of.” He looked up towards the large building she escaped from, and nodded, turning back into the direction of the Memory Den.

“Could I get your name?” She called out to him. He never seemed to hear her, because he was gone around the corner. She’d see him around, she was sure.

Maddie took the advice and rented a room. She just needed to be alone, and this town was much too small. Word gets around far too quickly. All alone in the room she felt the heaviness on her shoulders starting to crush her, burying her in the dirt like a Mutfruit. She buried her face in her hands weeping silently as to not scare her neighbor through the paper thin walls. It was all too much, and she fucking _hoped_ that John didn’t remember a thing in the morning.

Waking up alone was always a sobering realization. He knew he didn’t bring anyone home besides Maddie, it was just a routine thing now. Goddamn his head was roaring though, and it felt like a super mutant took a sledgehammer upside his head. Sliding his hat on his head, he glanced around with a smile - hoping to welcome his little vaultie to the new morning.

There was no trace. Silence.

Confusedly blinking, he looked next to him to see a Med-x. He must have gotten fucked up last night, he had no idea how the hell he even got in his own bed. He didn’t know his limits sometimes until he woke up the next day with the aftermath. He toyed the pain reliever in his fingers, sticking it into his neck. It took effect immediately because now it was nothing more than a hum in his head.

“Have you seen Maddie?” He asked one of his guards, rearranging his clothing to look less like a rumpled mess.

“Tom said the dame ran out last night, Deacon said she’s at the Rexford.” Of course. That little spy bastard didn’t know how to mind his business for the life of him. Not to mention he seemed to be keeping quite a close eye on princess. Whether it was suspicion for the railroad, or to make sure she wasn’t some institute synth…

His only saving grace for Hancock himself, was the radiation he knew she succumbed to. He may snoop in her pipboy some nights, just to make sure she wasn’t getting too sick. He’d snuck a rad-x in her drink, or would combine a stimpak and radaway, he needed her to stick around. Her not being there hurt in a new way, he’d gotten so used to being in the same place, the same room. For her to run off in the middle of the night…

“Good morning, Mayor Hancock!” Clair greeted. He tipped his hat to her with a bright greeting himself. “How’s my favorite gal?” Shaking her head, Clair motioned up the stairs. “Your little friend is up the stairs some way if that’s who you’re looking for shmoozer.”

Patting the counter as he waltzed by he offered a, “Thank you.” Marowski sat in his office nodding a greeting to the mayor. He passed by Magnolia’s room, the door open which meant she was wandering around somewhere. The door at the end of hallway was shut and locked, which he assumed was Maddie’s. He rapped his knuckles against the door, listening for a form of movement. The door opened a few minutes later exposing Maddie in a large Tshirt she found abandoned, hair messy from sleep. She looked more like a heartthrob this way than she ever could have been. “Good morning, princess. I was hoping you wouldn'’t run off on me. Especially when we gotta good thing goin’.”

“Just wanted some sleep. You were snoring too loud.” She moved aside and crawled right back into the bed, turning to face the wall instead of him. Hancock chuckled softly, shutting the door so they were in complete blackness together. She wasn’t gonna bring up the past night, she hoped he wouldn’t either. “Sorry about that. You could have kicked me, I would’ve gotten the message.” The bed dipped when he sat next to her, and she froze.

“It’s not like you to just run off. That’s my job.”

“Well, I didn’t run off if I’m still here. Now let me sleep, goddamit.”

“Not until we talk about last night.”

Shit.

“... What about it?” She asked, thankful for the depth of darkness the windowless room provided.

“Was it really the snoring that made you skip out? No note, no explanation. Not gonna lie, felt a little bit of a panic.” John adjusted his overcoat, “if I did anything to upset you, I’m sorry. Genuinely. I don’t always know when to stop, just know when to begin.”

Maddie breathed out a sigh just whispering, “All is forgiven, John.” There was silence again until her pipboy pinged with another message, this time from an unknown military signal. She lifted her arm to check it almost jumping at how close Hancock's face was. "No..." He murmured, clicking it off. "You got plenty of time. Rest." She tugged her arm out of his grip, putting more distance between the two of them. Enough for her to not feel is body heat, and enough for him to be left with the icy coldness.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used a lot of game dialogue in this chapter just bc I didn't care too much for this part of the game, and writing it was a lot more difficult than I thought. I can only hope you guys enjoy it, though.

Maddie was sure to keep a very big, strict distance between her and Hancock since that one night. She tried to convince herself that picturing him, the way she saw Preston, would help. Or work. It was working. Kind of. “Do we have to go to Diamond City?” Hancock asked, dreading the afformality that he’d go to the very city that destroyed his whole life. Full of noble fuckheads and racist bigots. “Valentine is my only hope to finding Shaun and getting somewhere.” She replied curtly, turning into the entrance.

None of them missed the way the guards stood a little straighter and John damn sure didn’t miss the glare Danny Sullivan gave him. “Keep that thing on a short leash.” She sneered his way, “You tell that to your self righteous mayor.” Hancock just shook his head wondering what the fuck he did to deserve to be back here.

“You had a choice to stay back.” She reminded him upon seeing the pissy look on his face. His dark eyes were just tiny rice grains. “Keep looking like that and I won’t be able to see you in the dark.”

“Then I’ll really get to play the boogeyman they’re all scared of.” He growled under his breath. She didn’t seem to mind the extra attention from the security, the rest of the residents didn’t even bother looking their way. “You owe me for this.”

She just scoffed and followed one of the bases leading through the dark alley behind Arturo’s gun shop. It was hard to miss the pretty neon signs reading Valentine’s Detective Agency. “That really his name or is he playing cupid and Sherlock Holmes?” Said the sole survivor standing outside of the metal door. “Hey, show the man some respect. He’s done a lot of good for this place, but do me a favor,”

He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she wrenched it back like she was trying to pop it out of socket. Taken back, he lowered his hand. “Don’t… Let his appearance fool you, ya dig?” She didn’t understand what he meant, but she walked in. Maybe this guy liked dressing like a lady, which she couldn’t ever think to judge for that reason. A tall slender… person, stood, digging through files in a panic. She was murmuring under her breath, sniffles coming every now and then.

“Uh…” Maddie began, standing before the metal desk in the middle of the room, “Hello?” The woman whipped around with a power that even made the two guests flinch back. “I’m sorry, but Valentine isn’t in right now.” She snapped rudely. Well, that’s a relief. This detective isn’t some crossdressing weirdo. “Do…” Hancock began, but Maddie shot him a warning look.

“I’m sorry to barge in,” Maddie began quickly, “But this is an emergency, and I could really use his help.” Ellie peered at this woman and saw so much anguish, Maddie’s eyes were shadowed with the darkness of whatever it was in life she encountered. She had such a beautiful face but looked twice her age. She needn’t say more, the way her eyes swirled with desperation and how her lower lip trembled, she had no reason to turn her away.

“Valentine, he… Was investigating a kidnapping situation with Skinny Malone. He hasn’t come back, and i’m afraid… Something’s happened to him.” Hancock felt his heart give a sickening jolt at the name. “Do you know where we can find him?” He stared at Maddie in disbelief that she’d even ask, was she really gonna go up against mobsters? Not that Nick wasn’t worth saving, not at all… She was just too ballsy for her own good.

“Well,” Ellie gushed already pulling out the file she had written up with clues and evidence alike. Kind of sad to see such an old friend with his own case to work on, thought Hancock. “They’re holed up in Vault 114 in Park Street Station.”

“Say no more. I’ll help.” The secretary brightened up at her words, clasping her hands together at her front. “Just… Be safe.”

“We always are, Ellie.” John promised with a smile. Maddie didn’t wanna waste anymore time and started out the room. “They built a vault inside of an old subway station. They’re not exactly, you know… airtight.” Her eyebrows tugged together in confusion. Hancock just shrugged. “A lot of things vault tec did didn’t make any sense. I don’t think they expected it be in long term use.” Made sense to her. “Just… Park Street of all places. I used to take that subway all the time to my office.”

“Office?” Hancock looked over at her. “The hell did you do? You don’t seem the type to be stuck in a cubicle all damn day.”

“I was a lawyer.”

“Should’ve known by the way you barter and argue like a goddamn pro. It’s because you are.”

She was quiet after that sliding her rifle out, preparing for a fight. Usually, their silences were comfortable where none of them felt like they’d have to even remotely say anything. Hancock was high as a kite all five days of the week, but his was alien for the two of them. Maddie held herself at a distance, kind of treated him like one of the minutemen. He usually wouldn’t mind.

There was a lot of personal shit involved. He couldn’t tell if he was hurt just because he had feelings, or if it was because she was so above every standard he had. “Are… We all right?” He asked suddenly, feeling a bit confused. Usually she was the one asking that question. The brunette didn’t even look at him when she answered, her lawyer face. Her expression was cool, unreadable. “We’re fine, Hancock.” Her voice was stern, emotionless of anything besides business.

“You seem a little far away, and usually I’m on a whole other planet here.”

“Like I said,” She stopped right before the commons, now turning to look at him square in the eye. It wasn’t like normal people to stare into the face of a monster and not flinch, but hell, none of this was normal. Maddie was highly above average. “We are okay.”

“If you’re so sure, do ya wanna continue? These are the commons, ya might wanna turn around…” She rolled her eyes abruptly, stalking towards the park. “Don’t go near the pond…” He stated in a sing song voice, earning him a middle finger. He was quiet then, letting this little asshole figure it out for herself. He’d intervene, of course. If need be. She stopped right before the stairs her head tilting with a warm little grin. “That’s cute, it’s a little swan float.”

See, this is where the mentats came into play. He was intellectually superior to her for once. He continued down the stairs just waiting for the surprise to pop up. Can’t say she wasn’t warned.

The park was still in pretty good condition considering the two hundred years of damage it sustained. Prewar memories flooded her head of her and Nate strolling through one day after work. She was six months pregnant with Shaun at the time. She sat right underneath that same Gazebo with her husband. The skies were a baby blue and not this ominous green. There were lush green trees with the most beautiful birds and flowers everywhere, now there were only corpses of all of them.

The only green there now was the pond.

Maddie walked closer to the edge kneeling down to dip her fingers into it when the ground gave a violent shudder, water sloshing when the swan rose and - “That’s not a bird!” She shrieked in surprise, facing the most monumental super mutant she’d ever seen. Hancock was laughing when she slipped down the stairs yanking him in with her by the hand. “A warning would have been nice!” She cried, whipping around once inside the safe haven of the subway.

His eyes glanced over her shoulder, raising the shotgun. “What-” Maddie began, jumping and dodging when Hancock fired it. She turned to see some mobster laying dead. “There was a triggerman.” He said cooly, an invisible eyebrow cocking up. She glowered with an intensity to give the rays of the sun a run for their money. He just grinned cheekily right back at her. With an aggravated moan she continued on down the stairs.

“Do you even bother looking at what you’re walking that pretty little ass into?” He whispered, back braced on the railings hidden away from view. Maddie sat at the foot knelt down, to reload her energy gun. “Not really. I’m pretty confident in my abilities.” She bolted right into the line of action of triggerman crowding the place like ants in a blur of red and black, her long hair free down her back sweeping just a little above her waist.

There was something so raw about the fire blazing all around her. She went in shooting, kicking ass, and taking names. Hancock had never met someone with such a likeness to himself, in the hail of gunfire, she was an angel. He’d puff jet for the next three hours if it meant watching her shoot each criminal down one by one. He bounced up next to her, right at her side. He galloped over to one of the gangsters closest to them, pistol whipping him down. He turned in time to see Maddie gracefully sweeping a swift hand to collect whatever caps the corpse at her feet had, the other hand blistering round after round to someone he couldn’t see.

“The lowest of the low stay in this vault!” He thundered over the popping bullets spraying over the room, Rubble continued falling around them like snowflakes, ashes of clothing and whatever else coloring their clothes, decorating Maddie’s hair like rice on her wedding day. If there was anything he’d consider romance it was this. The way her eyes were still partly lidded from using her scope, her balletic bearings so sure, so dauntless.

She threw her hair over her shoulder once the last man fell, breathing just a little heavily. “If that’s the case, why aren’t you here?” Hancock grinned, “I staked out here before I became mayor. Trust me, I’ve been the star of the show in this attendance.” He stood up from kneeling joining right back at her side, feeling like the most honored man. With her at his side who knew what kind of hell they could release on the Commonwealth.

For a moment, Maddie thought about walking over and gripping him by that stupid colonial get up and kissing that smug look off his face. She wanted to take his breath away just for being such a smug little smartass. “Quit staring, you’re gonna make me blush.” He cooed. She just shook her head aiming the back of her rifle at him.

“You wanna be knocked the fuck out next?”

“Trick question, you already knock me off my feet, sugar.”

Maddie stammered, eyes narrowing in a scrutinizing glower. The reminder of the drunken night he kissed her flooded up in her head. It fueled her with a whole newfound enmity. “You.” She seethed between her clenched teeth, pointing an accusing finger his way. “You keep your filthy little mouth shut, Hancock.”

Her sudden mood swing gave him whiplash. “Hey, yo, what the fuck is this about?” He postulated with the sudden equality of outrage. The little warrior stomped over to him shoving him. He didn’t move much given his denser mass and height, but it pissed him off all the same.

“You were too fucking drunk to remember!” The little vaultdweller squawked, scowling up at him from where she stood at his chest. He would’ve been more infuriated if it wasn’t for the fact this petite woman had to literally stare up at him.

“What I do when I’m drunk, you cannot hold me accountable.” He said in his defense. “But if it’s enough to piss you off this much, I have to know what I did.” She suddenly flushed with the embarrassment that she’d have to tell him, “Oh, you only played me like a fucking sport and then woke up the next day with no goddamn recollection.” She really hadn’t meant to bring it up, exactly. It just kind of like… Bubbled up, like vomit, and just burst out, exorcist style.

“Is it that bad?” He asked, noticing the color on her face. 

“Now is not the time.” She rushed, already charging to the vault entrance on the tracks before he could interrogate her any further. He was left with his mouth agape the silent argument hanging in the open air. “Then why even bring it up?” He muttered begrudgingly to himself while jogging behind her. Her pipboy initiated the most eardrum popping, nail on the chalkboard, metal gritting sound from the door. “So much for being stealthy.” He muttered, Maddie humming in a disappointed agreement.

There was a murmur of voices approaching and none of them sounded very friendly, nor like Valentine’s. “Hopefully he’s still alive, Nick.” Hancock said as he crouched down, walking ever so slowly towards the shadows wiggling up one of the hallways. She flanked the otherside, right at the doorway. An ambush by the most irritating angel of death, being taken down by the best. “Lucky them…” Maddie whispered.

John couldn’t help that smile, hearing his words repeated from her beautiful voice. “I hate when they open that door, it’s so loud…” A gruff voice moaned with shadows appearing larger the closer the men got. Maddie zeroed in on her scope, right between the eyes and- “Pewpewpew! Pew!” the one on the left went down into a mucky little puddle. His partner whipped around looking for the culprit aiming his automatic pistol right at Maddie. “I don’t think you know who the hell you’re fuckin’ with.” John growled dangerously, a vicious dog like response.

A disposed med-x sat used by his foot, she realized. Hancock was gonna go on a tangent and she wasn’t gonna stop him. A weapon pointed anywhere even remotely close to her direction was the biggest mistake. Hancock fired off, shotgun bucking in response to the trigger being yanked back. “How many people do you think Skinny’s got hiding in here?” She wondered outloud standing back up to full height.

He shrugged lifting and lowering his hat to fix it more secure on his head. She never thought she’d have a thing for someone who looked like a Hamilton knock off extra, but hey, John seemed to work it pretty well. “Red is totally your color.” She informed him when they passed by a terminal room. They were coming up on a room with tons of staircases leading to different sliding doors.

The one to the west with all the triggerman scattered around like ants was the only one in operation. “Think we’re headed the right way.” Hancock’s rasping whisper was right in her ear, his breath hitting the back of her neck. She couldn’t fight back the shiver. “Ol’ Nicky is gonna owe me for this one. I guess he can consider this a payback, considering I owe him one hell of a lot anyways when it comes to all he’s done for me and my town, personally.”

Maddie stiffly nodded shuffling ahead to get away from him, and whacking over a toolbox in the process. Stifling a gasp she watched it tumble down the three stories. It collided with the ground below with the most ear shattering sound that echoed sevenfold. Staring at her with a nonchalant expression Hancock said, “Way to go. Spywork was definitely in the plans for you.” Maddie opened her mouth to reply when the infamous tricorn hat was shot right off his head.

He cocked his stare back to the mobster grinning over at him. “Oh, now you’ve done it…” He rushed forward shooting just to… shoot, really. To avenge his pretty fucking hat now bearing a hole in it. Sighing heavily, Maddie leaned back enough to fetch it so this moron didn’t try to mourn it and distract himself from the fact this Nick guy could face the same fate. She yanked him by the hand when she jogged to the entrance, dodging the bullets racing after him.

She tossed them through the entrance shutting the door, running over to a terminal to lock is from her side. Distantly, she could hear the projectiles striking against them, but it was the relief she needed for now. Hancock stood holding the hat in his palms like a fragile artifact. “We can fix it.” Maddie grumbled irritably, walking over to him. She placed her hand on it when he suddenly yanked it back with a feverous glare, those bead like eyes mighty scary rice grains.

“You must not know what it means to me.”

“Hancock, don’t start. Nick is waiting for me.”

“Yeah, because he totally expects some little vaultdweller to save the fucking day. Look at my hat, are ya kiddin’ me? That’s a personal assault against me.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” She breathed, not believing how worked up he was getting over a costume. “We can fix that, we can’t fix an innocent life, detective or not. You stay here and weep if you want-”

“Excuse me.” A new voice broke through. Muffled, but there. Maddie immediately fetched her weapon, while Hancock looked at her like she was the most stupidest person he’d come across. She pointed it right at him in a promising threat.

“That is Nick.” He said, simply walking past her towards the direction of the voice. “Where you at ya old coot? Playing hide and seek in a place like this is dangerous even for you.”

“You guys can have your lover’s spat some other time. I’m trying to get the hell out of this hole.”

Looking up over the banister above, she spotted an overseer’s office with a half dismantled robot peering back at her with the most unsettling glowing yellow eyes she’d ever spotted. She turned her gun up to him when he spoke again - and she realized, this is who she was after, “I don’t know who you are, but I imagine you guys didn’t fight through Skinny Malone’s men just to do it. Well, Hancock would, but. You. Get me out of here.”

She obeyed and skipped up the stairs. “That terminal next to the door will open it.” Valentine clarified seeing her confused expression. “Can you hack it?”

Looking back at him she just rolled her eyes, chewing the inside of her cheek in concentration. It gave a satisfied click when she managed to guess the right password. “Well, well, aren’t you nimble…” Hancock purred patronizingly. Nick stepped out between them coincidentally, standing in an old style tan coat with a hat. He reminded her of them old style detective shows she used to watch with her grandfather on Sunday mornings. He lit a cigarette aloofly, turning his eyes to her. “I can’t imagine why our heroine would risk her life for an old synth detective, especially with this doofus here.”

“To find my son,” she rushed out, knowing this wasn’t the time and place to spill the beans on all her life’s troubles. He seemed to agree because he took in the surroundings with such a dispassionate spit in his voice. “Help me get out of here, and I’ll help you. It’s only a matter of time before Skinny’s men find out i’m gone and well…”

She understood and just nodded curtly. “Show me the way out.” She voiced, “Because I’m not from here and have no idea where I’m going.”

“Isn’t that the truth.” John scoffed, earning him a glare from the detective and sole survivor. Ha. Two against one. The trio took out into a full blown sprint blowing through the corridors like tumbleweeds in the mojave. Between them anyone they crossed, or crossed them better said, stood no chance. Nick was impressed with the skills this little brunette stranger had. There was such a fury burning behind her every move. Her eyes were lasers like the one she fired.

The were bright with the ammunition of forsaken times, the guilt and regret, the happiness, the want. It all combined to form Maddie - and a weapon of mass destruction. With the armies behind her, she was gonna be unstoppable. He couldn’t help but watch the colonial bastard and her synced out. She went left, he went right. He fired, she’d finish off what he started and reverse. Nick had known Hancock a while and knew how truly dedicated he is when it comes to friends.

It didn’t take someone with his background to pick up the affection between the two of them. Though John was focused on the enemies at hand, his attention never really left Maddie for long. He was covering her, protecting her. And whether she knew it or not, she was doing the absolute same.

“You mind telling me what that explosion you had earlier was about?” Hancock asked, back pressed up against Maddie’s when they were suddenly surrounded by more mob men. “You really think right now is a good time?” She demanded, firing her weapon to one of the men headed their way.

“Of course.” He replied innocently, “Not like we could have waited until Skinny Malone blows us to pieces to spill our guts. Why are you so angry with me?”

Grunting when the pair twirled like they were dancing a schematic tango of war, she called over the violence, “You really have no idea?” She tucked part of her hair behind her ear gunning one of the triggerman down. She watched the puddle of blood expand and combine with the sea of it around them. All these bodies and flesh scattering the walls were piling up like someone had a copier steadily set on repeat. They spilled from every door and for once Maddie didn’t think they’d truly take these people on.

Even with Nick’s expert shot.

“If I knew,” Hancock leaned forward breaking their contact. He yanked one man by the collar capturing his jaw in his palms and wrung his neck until a satisfied snap was heard. The body toppled to his feet which he carelessly stepped over, “I wouldn’t be asking you.”

Maddie shook her head stubbornly ducking a swing from being manhandled. “No!”

“Yes!”

“John, drop it!”

“You guys,” Nick attempted.

“I don’t like when you of all people are angry with me, now just fucking tell me.”

There was a rumbling silence when Nick disposed of the final triggerman, but she realized that too late. The words was a break in the sound barrier, “You kissed me!”

Even Nick looked just a little stunned, synthetic eyes saucers. Hancock had the same matching expression, just… A tad bit more smug. Prideful, for sure. “Well, John, can’t say I’m not surprised… Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve done that.” Flustered, she just threw her gun down with an irritated yell. She knew it was a child throwing a temper tantrum but what else could she do? Hancock had no memory, and she was just some other body to his count.

“I wish I did remember now.” He said with a sigh, shaking his head. There was an awkward silence then, “Wanna repeat so I can recall. You know. Just in case we die in here?” Nick facepalmed with a grumble, “Oh, brother…”

Staring at John in disbelief she retrieved her weapon and turned, only to come forehead to barrel with a pretty heavyset man, with a dainty little woman holding a bat at his side. “Should've left it alone, Nicky. This ain't the old neighborhood. In this Vault, I'm king of the castle, you hear me?” The girl, Darla, grinned like a lion sizing up its prey. Hancock was frozen behind Maddie, watching him with a close precision. He knew Maddie was smart, but he hoped to God she wouldn’t get cocky with this guy right now. “And I ain't lettin' some private dick shut us down now that I finally got a good thing goin'!”

“Never thought he'd manage to scrape together a big enough crew to take over a Vault. Guess life's full of surprises.”

Hancock nodded in agreement, and Nick noted it with a shrug.

“I told you we should've just killed him, but then you had to get all sentimental! All that stupid crap about the "old times." Fuck, this girl had the most obnoxious Boston accent Maddie had ever heard. She cringed too obviously, and the gun only dug deeper into her skull. Skinny was looking between the three of them, eyes landing on Hancock for a moment. They were an even level of suspiciousness, balancing Maddie’s life on a thin tightrope between the two of them.

The fat mobster weakened his weapon on her and John took advantage to yank her back with his arms cased around her protectively, gun blazing right there next to her head, ready to shoot if he made any sudden movements. “Darla, I'm handling this! Skinny Malone's always got things under control!”

Nick stepped forward like the ol’ ballsy self he was. “I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your two-timing dame, Skinny. You ought to tell her to write home more often.” He stared both of them in the eyes seemingly unbothered by the thought that hey, you can get blasted at any moment. Be ghosted right here on sight, especially by that button pushing bitch at his side.

“Awww... poor little, Valentine. Ashamed you got beat up by a girl? I'll just run back home to daddy, shall I?” Maddie gritted her teeth, wanting to cut her throat if it meant just shutting her up and ending all of this. She finally acknowledged Maddie still stuck in Hancock’s embrace, and snorted, “Oh yeah, then what's this lady doing here, huh? Valentine must have brought her here to rub us all out!”

“Keep fucking with me and I will. There’s no question.” Maddie growled low, teeth bared. Darla jumped at her and she wiggled against his hold, wanting to take this leech out once and for all. Hancock tossed his hand over her mouth, shushing her with a warning, “Now is not the time to be a dick. We’re trying to get out of here, ya know. _Alive_.” Rolling her eyes, she shoved his arms away.

She could feel him hovering close behind her though. “Look.” She spat, eyebrow cocking up to her eyebrow, “You don't want to throw your life away with these thugs.” She didn’t take too much convincing at all. Her childlike eyes grew a little wider, her arms relaxing to rest at her side. Each finger uncurled around the grip of the bat, clattering against the tiled floors. Hancock released a breath he had no idea he’d been holding. Nick’s circuits whizzed.

“I... I... You're right! What am I doing? I've gotten all mixed up!” She turned to look at Skinny, then to the three of them. She dashed out on her heels, leaving behind a puff of dust behind her.

“Oh, come on, Nicky! You cost me my men, now you and your friend cost me my girl?”

“Now that she's not around to feed that temper of yours, maybe you'll see sense and let us walk? You still owe me for two weeks in the hole.”

“You smug, overconfident ass... Agh! All right, you get to the count of ten! I still see your face after that, I'm gunning both of you down!”

Nick took off and Hancock gripped her arm dragging her along before he could even reach number two. “You’re so fucking stupid you know.” He informed Maddie. “You could have died.”

“But would you have let me?”

“Absolutely not. I’d lay down my life first.”


	7. Chapter 7

There was lead weight tension between Hancock and Maddie since leaving the vault rescuing Nick from Skinny. They agreed to meet Valentine back in Diamond City to discuss more of this investigation. Maddie looked absolutely exhausted, walking with a hunch, dragging her feet. “You need to sleep.” He said softly, hands crossed behind his back. “You look like the other half of Nick’s face, and it isn’t too pretty.” Usually, that would earn him some sort of comeback. A smartass joke, a dirty look, just some sort of reaction. There was none. She faced forward like he never spoke a single word.

He halted in his swaggering saunter and grabbed her arms. His touch was as careful as it had been when he finally got hold of his ruined hat, forcing her to stop too. She was strong but Hancock was a little heavy for someone like her to think of bulldozing him. Her eyes held a bitter cheerlessness, whether with him, or she was thinking too much, he couldn’t decipher right now. His palms traveled up to her neck cupping the sides of it, thumbs lightly pressing into the skin feeling her sweaty hair sticking to it.

It tilted her angelic face up and he felt his heart shatter seeing how devastated she looked. Large brown eyes swelling with heavy hearted morose. Those eyebrows pulled together forming a crease. He leaned down to press his mouth to it just resting it there. It wasn’t long before she slowly gave in with her arms around his waist, face hidden there in his ruffled shirt. He looped his arms around her so tightly he thought he’d break her.

They stood under the moon raining down over their radiated surroundings. Even between the ruined buildings and sounds of distinct city chatter from the big green jewel she was the only thing that he could focus on. The way her face fit perfectly between his scarred up biceps, the tremor of her body when she cried. He felt for her, he did, and a lot of this was his fault. “Mads…” His voice was rough like sandpaper on her skin despite him being so mellow on the surface.

“I’m sorry.” It took a lot of pride, even for him to say the words. He absolutely despised being wrong and having to admit to it, but this was her. The only person he would soften for, well, emotionally. Any softer and he’d be a walking puddle of goo. “Really, look at me.” He gently pried her back by her shoulders. She turned those large eyes onto him. Thick dark tears wept dirt down her delicate blushing cheeks. “If I’d known I’d do that, I wouldn’t have bothered drinking around you, and that’s something. Coming from me especially…”

He wiped her tears mumbling, “You’re special, ya know? You’re not some wanderer… You give this drifter a home, and… It’s jus’ a little tricky, explaining this to you…” She tugged away then, detaching herself from him. She didn’t wanna know what lied at the end of that sentence. She turned her back to him walking wherever. “Maddie, I still have something to talk to you about…”

“John, as much as I wanna know, it’s better we focus on what we came here for.” She swallowed the nerves threatening to choke her up. Romance was the last thing on her mind, Valentine could be her ticket to a normal life. As normal as it could get with the postwar remnants. Anger flared in his eyes then, and he didn’t move when she continued walking. Breathing heavily through her nose, she spared a look at him from over her shoulder. His arms crossed across his chest while he just gawked at her.

“Sometimes, we find something we’re not exactly seeking out. I found you and I wasn’t ever looking. I wasn’t thinking one day, ‘let’s go find this random fucking vault drifter and get into some trouble’. There’s some things you can’t ignore, and I am one of them.”

“Hancock, we’re just friends, all right?” Maddie ran her fingers through her hair and he shook his head at her.

“You trying to convince me, or yourself, Madeleine?” She flinched at the use of her real name. It sounded so weird coming from him. “You’re the kind of spice I’ve been needing and never knew it. I’ve never wanted to… Settle down, exactly. Not in one spot, and for now, I can see myself fighting at your side. I’ve been thinking so small, thinking inside the universe of Goodneighbor, but never the Commonwealth.”

The butterflies in her stomach were taking over her whole body, fingers tingling, and her eyes blistering with tears again. “Look at what you’re doing, for these people. Graygardens, hell, the minutemen.” He stalked over nearly looming over her with that fiery ebony burning into her soul. His voice was that dangerous ‘don’t-fuck-with-me’ tone he used when someone owed him money. The same voice he used when she killed Fahrenheit. “I refuse to leave until there is no one else in the commonwealth that needs saving. Before you could ever think of doing that, save yourself first.”

“What do you think I’m doing?” She whispered thickly. “I lost my husband, my baby is missing, and I woke up in some forsaken nightmare with monsters and ghouls alike - I run my own army and can’t even imagine how the fuck this could possibly help me.” Her words punched him right in the gut. “I don’t want this, Hancock…” The ghoul straightened up stuffing his hands right into the pockets of the trousers he wore.

“You think any of us wanted this? I understand you’re hurting, but this world isn’t as bad as it looks. We didn’t have a choice when the bombs dropped, but we’re still here for some goddamn reason. You’re not gonna give up on what we got. I’m sorry about Nate.” Hearing her husband’s name come out of his mouth for the first time brought up a funny emotion in her. “Taking it out on yourself isn’t gonna help you, or me, or whoever you come across. There’s much more to this, and I thought you of all people would be smart enough to figure it out.”

She sniffed back the water dripping from her nostrils, suddenly wishing she said nothing at all. “I get us abominations ain’t a pretty sight,” He said stiffly to her. “It takes getting used to talking to rotting flesh, but… There’s more to this. This world.” With that she watched him retreat. He didn’t want to be around her for the first time. “Go to Nick.” He called out to her. “Have him help you. Unless you don’t want that either.”

He didn’t look back at her once on his way back to the direction of his hometown, and she found herself wishing she ran right after him. The second he disappeared from view she picked up her already damaged heart watching more pieces splinter off with every step away he took.

She didn’t go to Nick’s office that day. She waltzed along the commonwealth checking on some of the nearby settlements. It gave her something to do, a distraction. She wasn’t tired like she had been. She felt wide awake just repeating him walking away from her. The disappointment in his face, the way his words burned like pressure from a Radaway treatment, and most importantly, the way he hugged her so tightly. He didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of that sort of argument.

The general had been wandering and didn’t realize she was travelling close to sanctuary. Guess the heart knows its way home when the mind kind of doesn’t. Her boots crunched along the gravel, the only sounds besides the whirling of taurets sitting outside of each house. It was moments like these she got used to the sounds of the buzzing of boatflies, the song of crows, and the hum of the mutated bugs. Hoisting herself on top of a workbench she lifted herself up onto the roof of her shack, tucking her knees up to her chest.

Her pipboy read three AM in the morning, she’d officially reached being up for a full twenty four hours. She felt stupid, but sleeping without him near was such an uncomfortable alien sensitivity. After some debate she just decided, she didn’t have a choice. She had a son to save, and Nick was her only objective.

Hancock hadn’t felt this strain of hurt in a while. He didn’t bother going from broad to broad like he usually did. Daisy came to visit him a few times when he wouldn’t leave his office. It was either the Third Rail he resided at, or holed up with enough drugs to kill the average human being. Thank God that part of him was definitely long gone. “Do you want to talk about it?” She’d asked one afternoon. His frock was being tended to, so he wore just a plain white Tshirt and torn jeans. Even to her, it was an odd sight seeing him in normal clothing. “There’s nothi’ to talk about. We went our separate ways.”

“You haven’t left your office in days, John…” Her tone was sympathetic. She understood losing someone, but watching one of her oldest friends succumbing to this kind of heartbreak… “But, news had reached Goodneighbor, I feel you should know. Nick stopped by.” The name awoke him from his drug induced haze. “And?” He drawled slowly, swinging his leg from where it hung over the arm of his chair. “They found who took her son… Maddie’s. John, she’s going on a suicide mission. It’s Kellog.”

The name was enough to make even his blood run cold. He sat up a lot straighter then. “By herself? Nick’s not going? MacCready?” Was she out of her goddamn mind?! He was a psychotic legend, he left no enemies alive. All for her, he supposed. And even then her days were numbered. He’d be waiting for her, ready to put a bullet between her pretty eyes. The image of the light fading from her pretty face, blood spreading beneath her hair haloed around her as she hit the ground… It was enough to truly make him feel sick. “Nick said she was too determined. He came to you, hoping you’d talk some sense into you. He searched every settlement, they haven’t seen her. Preston sent out a mass search, radio signals and all.”

Shooting up with a bodacious stumble, he flicked on radio freedom. It was static for a moment then he heard, “Castle to General Preston, please report to the castle.” It repeated every few minutes, nonstop, like clockwork. “Sonofabitch!” Hancock ran his palms along the top of his head, looking up with his fingers crossed together. “Do you have any clue where he might be hiding? There’s no fuckin’ way I’m letting her dumbass kill herself like this.” He began rounding up any supplies he had around him.

Which so happened to be chems.

Breathing out a sigh, Dasiy put a hand on top of his to stop him. “Let me help you, take from my inventory.”

He shook his head. “Those are for the people, not for me. I can’t-”

“You have to.” She begged, taking his hands in hers securely, “This is Maddie. She’s the commonwealth’s only hope, you’ll never forgive yourself if you lose her. If this is how you are apart, I don’t wanna imagine what the permanent solution is gonna be…” He hugged her tight, like his whole life depended on it. “We’ll come back. Kellog won’t be around to hurt anyone else.” He promised, meaning every word. He’ll be damned to lose her like this.

The poor assaultron lay strewn apart in little pieces. Maddie wasn’t gonna lie and say that this didn’t terrify her at all, because it definitely did. She’d watch assaultrons take out full settlements, burn a whole city to the ground. Yet, one man destroyed it like it was just a lid off a tin can. Rising up slowly, she faced where dogmeat was running. The pup whirled around with an excited bark.

She could smell it in the wind, the cigar smoke and metallic taste of blood running down her throat with each breath. She was close - and close to finding Shaun. Nick panicked when she said she’d go alone. This was personal, and she’s retrieve her son all alone. Just as she’d started it. Was she aware she’d die in the process? For sure. She thought of Preston, how he’d take control of the minutemen. She’d built it up pretty well, she thought. He’ll be fine.

What about Hancock?

She shook the thought away following on the path. Bloodied bandages, .44 rounds, ashes of either a cigarillo or another slain enemy. She couldn’t tell the difference anymore. Dogmeat barked, tearing down the street to a nearby fort, and she could feel it right then and there, she’d found him. On the roof of Fort Hagen were taurets armingf every corner and angle. “Good boy…” She whispered to the german shepherd. She bent down to kiss his head rubbing behind his ear affectionately. “You’ve done well, but it’s time for you to go back to Abernathy. Give Codsworth a kiss for me.”

She followed the garage beneath it, folding her hair up into a tight bun. She was braced in the strongest power armor she could craft. Every piece was healed up to the maximum it could be, autostimpaks and all. Coming up to a door leading into the basement she inhaled through her nose, smelling the familiar stale air she might never experience again. She wished she’d said goodbye to Hancock, because she hated how things ended between them.

I hope you forgive me.

She fastened the helmet and walked in, guns blazing.

There was synth after synth, some a lot like Nick. They were incredible weapons with the endurance of a superhuman, agility of a hummingbird, and an aim so precise even MacCready would be jealous. “So of a fucking-” She hardly dodged an oncoming laser strike. The armor was so goddamn heavy, she had no idea how some people used this. “I am equipped with the most advanced Institute sensors available. I will find you.” The voice was so chilling to hear.

Even more so now that one of the main fucking components she stressed to remember was extra fusion cores, and she had none. And the battery was draining faster than she wanted to admit. Please just get me to Kellogg, she thought desperately. Please. She whipped around the doorframe firing aggressively into each one of those robotic bastards. She could feel the suit taking more and more damage with each fire into her. “Tell the institute fuckers I said hello!”

She ran through the hoard like she was invincible. Her critical meters yelled at her to exit the suit soon, battery was draining to thirty eight percent. “Hmph. Never expected you to come knocking on my door. Gave you 50/50 odds of making it to Diamond City. After that? Figured the Commonwealth would chew you up like jerky.” That familiar voice that wrecked her every waking moment came from all around her now. She was coming close, she knew it.

Maddie stepped out of the power armor calling out, “You were wrong! I’m here! Let’s talk!” There was no response much to her dismay. The red lights along the upper floor’s halls felt like the eyes of a sentry bot. She knew Conrad Kellogg was watching her every move, it wasn’t a secret. “You've got guts and determination, and that's admirable. But you are in over your head in ways you can't possibly comprehend.”

“It's not too late. Stop. Turn around and leave. You have that option. Not a lot of people can say that.”

“Okay, you made it. I'm just up ahead. My synths are standing down. Let's talk.”

The sole survivor stood in the middle of a circle office that appeared like it belonged to a president instead of some major general. Her eyes closed, preparing for whatever awaited her on the other side of the door. She thought of Preston, laughing over the way she pronounced words like an “old fashioned” movie star. Holding MacCready’s little baby, feeling how happy he was when his son cuddled her until he fell asleep that one night his father was so exhausted. The first time she met Hancock, that crazy town she considered home.

“Oh, John…” She said softly, regret forming knots in her throat. The way he watched over her every night, how he looked at her like she was some uncommon trinquet. He held her so dear, and she had to ruin it. She never should have brought up the kiss. She should have held him tighter, gave in when she had the chance. Gave affections one last chance.

She loved when they would laugh at nothing, just because it’s what they did. How he would laugh at the faces of disgust from strangers when she would just go on as if it never happened. She wondered if he’d ever forgive her for going through this without him. “It’s now or never…” She said to herself. She pushed open the unlatched door with her head held high, chin up, back straight. She selfconsioucly adjusted her armor, facing eye to eye with the man of her nightmares.

Synths in white surrounded him, and she knew how this would go. The moment she raised her weapon, they’d gang up, five against one,

“Let’s get this over with.” she kept her voice bold and strong, shoving the shakiness out. The bald headed man just smirked, scar scrunching beneath his eye. She got a flashback of the day back in the vault, watching him laugh in her face after killing her husband.

“God, you're persistent. I give you credit. It's the way a parent should act. The way I'd be acting if I were in your place, I like to think. Even if it is useless.” Useless? Whipping out her rifle she fired rounds to the synths. She caught them off guard, each one falling. It was just them two now, and her gun stayed pointed right at him. “Goddamn it, you mercenary motherfucker. Where. Is. My. Son?!” She shrieked, rising and slamming her rifle butt down onto the side of his head.

Conrad stumbled, but he was quick and delivered a sharp blow right upside her face. “What's the cliche? "So close, but yet so far away?" That's Shaun.” He raised his pistol, firing at her. She ducked away from the revolver, watching it pierce through one of the desks like paper. “But don't worry. You'll die knowing he's safe, and happy. A bit older than you expected, but ah well. At least he's in a loving home. The Institute.” She felt bile rising up from her stomach, the institute. The stranger everyone feared of. She army crawled along the desks, listening to the sound of his footsteps to determine his direction.

“The Institute? Well I'll find him, no matter where he is. Nothing will stop me.” She jumped to her feet shooting into - an empty room. He was gone. Gasping in disbelief, she turned to look for him. She flew back with such a blow her guts felt like they had been shoved up through her throat. Maddie landed with a painful thud just feet away, and she jumped to her hands and knees trying to gasp for her breath she lost. “God, you're persistent. I give you credit. It's the way a parent should act. The way I'd be acting if I were in your place, I like to think. Even if it is useless.”

Conrad reappeared stomping right on her back to pin her to the floor. He felt pity because she was gonna put up one hell of a fight. It was easier when they just gave in. “No... That's not true. It can't be…” She whimpered, fishing for the switchblade Hancock gave to her. She smirked striking him in his leg, digging up from his ankle up to his knee. Take them out, she remembered John saying, cripple the legs. They can’t run.

“I... I've come so far…” The mercenary backtracked with a yell of pain. The distraction gave her enough time to get back to her feet. Holding her breath she fired into him, and she grinned to herself. “Yes, you have. And believe it or not... I'm actually kind of sorry you wasted your time.” He disappeared once again, “In another life, you probably would have been a good mother. But here... in this terrible reality? You just don't get that chance.”

Cool metal pressed right up against her ribs behind. She felt the pain before she ever registered the gunshot, her breath leaving all at once against her will. She crumbled forward feeling her blood rushing out like someone just poked a hole in a water balloon. She covered her wound with her palm, right between her ribs. The organs. Kellogg’s chilling laughter resonated through the room, her vision going in and out.

She wasn't gonna die. Shaun might not be here, but god damn it, she was. She was gonna end the pain for every person who’d lost their life to him. Every innocent person who’d fallen victim to him, her husband. “For… The commonwealth…” She whispered, picking up her gun with the rest of her strength. She didn’t know how she managed it, this very moment. She rolled onto her back to find Conrad with her own switchblade aiming right between her eyes. He was kneeling above her, John’s name flashing on the blade.

Maddie laughed dryly, blood dribbling out of the corner of her mouth.”Of course his name would be the last I see.” Conrad grinned, “Your little zombie is gonna miss you.”

“But I’m not gonna.” And just like that - one pull of the trigger and he fell back. Whether it was the trauma, or she’d somehow just puffed jet, Kellogg fell back in slow motion. She watched his eyes go blank, his chest fall when he breathed his last breath. At least she’d die knowing he wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again. Her nimble fingers dropped the gun right on the ground next to her, feeling the disgusting warmth of her own flesh coating her fingers.

Pain flared up from her abdomen, choking on the yell that tried to escape. She was gonna die here. Death came quick and swift, It was warm. Comforting. Just like Hancock’s hold.

Fear was too much of an understated word Hancock felt when he, Nick, and Preston ran through the fort. There were discarded synths trailed like breadcrumbs leading Hansel and Gretel back home. “Stop,” Nick instructed, freezing at the end of a nearby hallway. An impatient growl escaped Hancock and he wanted to strangle this goddamn synth. “We don’t have any goddamn time to waste!” He roared.

Preston had to agree with the ghoul this time. “If you’d listen - gunfire.” But Hancock wasn't focused on that at all. There was an empty power suit just a few feet away from them. The dread set in like bad sushi on a hot ass day. Following his gaze, the minuteman actually cursed. “That’s hers, she’s been working on it for the past few weeks. I didn’t know why until… Now.”

“Why wouldn’t she take it?” Nick asked, looking at the two of them.

Hancock charged forward yelling, “The fucking suit is dead! She went in without it!” Then, the most blessed sound hit his ears. All his weeks of travel with her attuned him to the familiar sounds of plasma blasts. They were her gun, modded with a better drum, and a more rapid fire. “She’s still in there.”

He didn’t wait before running closer, entering a round office. He yanked on the door, finding it locked from the outside. The little window exposed enough for him to see her, beaten, but thriving. “Nick, get this open!” The ghoul turned to find him already working on the terminal. “He locked it from the inside, it’s backed up with some sort of firewall…” Preston worked on trying to shoot the door down, and John tried kicking it down.

He felt helpless watching her tango with death herself. She was beautiful so much more than he’d ever seen her. So strong willed, never willing to back down even if she knew she’d lose the fight. She was twirling in confusion until - “Shit, move!” Kellogg was at her back, hand at her throat from behind. “Hurry, god damn it, hurry!”

The panic from the usually collected ghoul brought a morose melancholy over the room. He had his pistol to her back. There was an unsettling silence that hovered over the them the second the gun went off. All three men’s attention went to the door. Maddie crumbled like paper in the wind - deadweight. Hancock slammed his fist on the door, catching the attention of the merc. He just smiled the sickening fucking grin, ear to ear.

“You fucking bastard!” Preston dropped his gun, gripping the ghoul’s thrashing arms behind his back to restrain him. If he never saw a feral ghoul, now he definitely did. The mayor was jerking and growling, truly showing the creature everyone else was scared of. He stopped only when he saw flashes of green - and the man was laid back on the floor, spread eagle. It was hope - a sign she was still alive. The door opened then and Hancock couldn’t have been any faster.

Not even in his worse nightmares would he expect to see this, a magnum hole right between the ribs, a bloodied mess soaking his boots. “Oh, no…” Nick's voice trembled foreshadowing everyone else’s mood. Maddie’s lips were rosy with blood, completely still. She made a gorgeous corpse, but he refused to let his be the end. “Don’t give up on me just yet!” He begged, Preston stabbing a stimpak right into her side to stop the bleeding. The synth detective was inspecting her, looking up to see his old friend a wreck.

If he could cry, Nick would. Hancock’s eyes were large with fear, and there were tears brimming his eyes then. His leathered skin was covered in her blood, strapping a piece of Kellogg’s clothing to stamp the bleeding. “C’mon, please…” John’s voice was unnaturally shaky, scared. His fingers went through her bloodied hair, leaning down to kiss her forehead over and over. The scene was so personal the two men wanted to look away. “Don’t leave me, c’mon. Fight, Maddie. Fight.”

John didn’t know what to do, wanting to administer CPR, but he didn’t wanna risk only rushing her death sentence. Any little bit of pressure applied to her made her gush out. “We’re gonna lose her if we don’t do something!” His teeth were bared dangerously, hands over her wound. He leaned down puffing air into her body, Preston working on getting some chems into her to halt the ruptured bleeding. Nick leaned down to sweep her up, nodding to her pipboy. “We gotta get her to Diamond City. Gather around, boys. We gotta fast travel.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

“You brought a ghoul into Diamond City?” Doctor Sun demanded sardonically while Nick lay Maddie’s unresponsive body to the gurney. “Not just any ghoul, Mayor Hancock himself.” Said he, glaring pointedly at him. “I believe we have bigger shit to discuss than me bein’  here.” His attention turned to the girl struggling to breathe. She rasped like static through abandoned radio signals, chest heaving up so unevenly it appeared like she was counting down to suddenly combusting. Sun spoke the words everyone was thinking, “We don’t have much time. She’s losing too much blood. She’s gonna go into cardiac arrest.”

Poor Nick’s suit was soiled with her flesh that dripped over her fingers. Each drop was a count to each bullet Hancock would put into Kellogg’s corpse. Overkill? Probably. He hated having to sit by and watch so helplessly. He swore to himself he’d never let himself feel this again. He should have done something, broke that forsaken door down. Killed Kellogg himself.

Put himself in Maddie’s position.

“One of you,” The asian man demanded using a scalpel to slice open her suit exposing her nude body, the bullet piercing so vivid and there it made everything so much more surreal. “Help me. Grab me some psycho. A few stimpaks, we have to get this bleeding to cease. The psycho will help her when I try to remove the bullet.” Preston rushed to is aid.

It felt like Hancock himself was going through an absolutely mortifying jet trip with how stagnant everything was playing out. Nick was at his side though. A silent support, surfaced as anxious as himself. He couldn’t imagine losing her this way. She built settlements. She formed the minutemen. She made everyone fall in love with her one way or another with her kindness, generosity. She was so genuine and it made him sick.

She chose him of all righteous people to travel with. To build with, to fight with, and for. He never deserved it, just like she never deserved this fate. Hancock wanted to look away but so genuinely petrified if he did that would be the last time he’d ever see her alive. Even if she wasn’t awake to know, to feel him, to know he never once truly left her side.

He shouldn’t have ever let her out of his sight.

He came to with a startling hum of voices. They graduate to full shouts, and he became aware there were now two surgeons, Nick eyeballing him. “We’re gonna lose her,” said a nerdy and honestly unhinged tall man.

He wore those large goggles that took up his whole face with lenses that magnify up to fifty percent more than the average eyesight. Hearing those words flared his temper, the detective grabbing him with such an inhuman grip by the upper arms to keep him from lunging at the guy.

“Don’t say that, she’s a fighter! Maddie, come on. You have to come back.” Hancock cried.

“You need to calm down, friend. You’re not supposed to be here. I’m sure the last thing you want to do is to be thrown out. How is she gonna see you when she wakes?” Nick asked.

Sun was pointedly staring up at the mayor now, splinters of Maddie’s blood on his cheek. “I will not hesitate to sedate you, ghoul.” He sneered.

“With all due respect,” Garvey cut in. “You have a life on the line. The petty side talk can wait. John,” It was the first time he spoke his name, and so civilly. “Come step outside for some fresh air.”

But he was stubborn, shaking his head. “I’m not leavin’ her side. I said I’d lay my life down first before she ever thought of leaving this place. I mean it.” Hancock yanked out of Nick’s grab with a violent shove of his shoulders, sitting down in the chair before the operating table. He rested his elbow on the arm, hiding his mouth behind the sides of his knuckle, staring at the silent angel.

“She always ran in head first… Maddie’s smart, and so impulsive…” He whispered roughly. Grabbing his hat by the top, he slid it off and onto his lap. His fingertips brushed along the smooth stitching feeling the felt Maddie managed to patch it up with. “Guess that’s why we worked so well… She evened me out, while matching me…”

Preston genuinely felt for this man. He’d heard stories of this man, dangerous, versatile, but right now, he was a boy. There was so much vulnerability he stared after Maddie with. He saw them together, how they moved one in the same. How she would smile so carefree when he was around.

The petty bickers seemed such a minimal problem when staring from the outside in. There were things so much bigger than who was getting on who’s nerves, who was gonna get smacked first.

Hancock was one of the most intimidating thugs known to the Commonwealth, he showed no mercy, but showed compassion to those who sought it. Right now, he looked like a kicked puppy, and he could respect it. Preston was hesitant the first time he spotted the general and him together. It became fairly evident he himself didn’t have to worry about him at all, as much as it drove him mad at one point.

With his help, he became the second in command to the minutemen. There was such a powerful force between Hancock and Maddie, together… They were entirely unstoppable.It made perfect sense why they worked so well. Both stubborn smartasses with temperaments from hell. Yet such a yearn to build humanity. Emotions, never letting this ruthless world take the softness for other creatures, human and mutant and ghoul alike.

Maddie was the ray of sunshine, instead of looking to the sky in the mornings, Hancock looked for her eyes. So heavily lashed and vivid. The golden in them so warm like the sap of a tree, inviting like a welcome matt. Shadows of what evil left imprinted wore her down, made her appear so much older than she was.

Even then, he couldn’t find anyone more beautiful than her. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat rising to his feet. They carried him out of the Mega surgery Center. He went right next door and fetched all the chems the prettiest caps could buy. It was the only thing he knew to deal with such a rapid downhill spiral. He wanted to forget the taste of her last breath on his lips, forget seeing the energy leave her like a depleted balloon. No, he couldn’t handle it, couldn’t take it.

It was the past all over again but much, much worse. In the middle of the city, in the center of the cause of his misery, he puffed on whatever jet he could fit in his lungs. He shot up enough psycho, enough Med-x to feel the sweet bliss of nothing. Floating. His feet didn’t even feel attached to his body, and he couldn’t make sense of the world around him. He was aware of eyes on him, people parting like the red sea when he came stumbling by them.

That’s all he wanted.

To forget. To flee. To not feel.

Until Nick was behind him like a furious guardian who just caught their underage kid drinking their liquor. “Are you completely nuts or just stupid?” He demanded. He didn’t miss the sway in Hancock’s stance or how his eyes wouldn’t focus. He stared right on past him to the noodle stand instead of the detective.

“Little bit of both.” He slurred as if it wasn’t the most obvious thing in the world.

The detective shook his head gliding a cigarette from his coat pocket. He flicked his lighter over it, not looking at him when he leaned up against the counter. Piper was staring their way with her mouth agape just feet away at the Publick Occurrences. He’d chased her away once when she saw the trio walking in with the talk of the town absolutely out of commission. “I know it’s hard, but you can’t go giving up on her right away.”

Hancock knew he was right, but it was the deep regret that dug down into his very core like a mole rat burrowing into the soft dirt. “Who said I was giving up?” His voice was a low gravel rumble, arms crossing over his chest when he sagged on the bar. Worst comes to worse, he’d be selfish and turn her to a ghoul. Sure, she’d become feral someday, but hey. More time with the two of them.

Nick sighed looking down at his shoes. There was a silence with just the smoke of his cigarette swirling around them, tickling their clothes like a feather leaving behind a pretty chemically after taste in the air. “Why did she decide to go alone?” He asked, looking up at John. The ghoul stared back at him, shaking his head slowly with a heavy breath.

“I had no idea about any of this…”

“She came to my office alone. I could tell something was off, she never traveled anywhere without you. So when she came to me, I offered me to go with her. She said it was personal. Which I completely understood.” Tilting his chin up to look up at the auning, the sunlight glinted off part of his metallic face. The reflection blinded Hancock’s sensitive eyes and made his little bit of brain that’s left flare up like a minutemen signal.

Hancock squared his jaw clenching his teeth angrily, “I should have killed him when he spewed through Goodneighbor those few times he did.” His growl was summoned from the devil himself and Nick couldn’t say he blamed him for the hatred spewing from his very essence. “Everyone cowered beneath him. Me? I haven’t had a damn thing to live for. I wasn’t scared of him by any means. Had I known what he’d come to do, I would have threw myself at him and hoped for the best.”

Nibbling on the inside of his cheek, he lowered himself onto a stool nearby. His hat shadowed his face when he stared down at his boots. “Her and I had an argument. Instead of sticking through, I ran from her too. Well, walked. I walked away. I don’t know a good thing when I have it, and I know you of all people understand this, Nicky. I knew it was a mistake the second my back was to her, I just…” His words drifted off into silence then.

He knew once he’d sober up, he’d pretend none of this was said, but all the while, Nick had been around for a good damn while. Ever since Hancock was a rebellious little shit shooting up the night with some no good anarchists, to the prosperous mayor who fought with chaotic good of intentions. “You can’t go blaming yourself for this. Even if you had offered to come along, I doubt she’d let you. Once she’s made a choice she stands by it through and through. Judging by her armor and weaponry at the scene, she knew what she was up against. She knew the risks.”

Hancock scoffed. “Maddie was prepared for it.”

Then again, “She also expected to find her son, but look where that got her. An early fuckin’ grave, and a dead end. Everything she fought for, was for him. Shaun. She expected to find him, to see him one last time even if it meant her dying in his place.”

“The love of a mother is unconditional.”

He was no parent, no father, hardly even a lover, but Hancock understood completely just for an entirely different reason.

The following few nights were hallowed with empty promises. Maddie was stable, the bullet had missed her vital organs somehow, but by mere centimeters. “It’s a goddamn blessing.” Preston said with too much emotion in his voice to be comfortable. He always spoke so highly of her, but Hancock could see right through. The way he looked at her was far more than just some average soldier kind of respect and admiration. He fawned after her with every movement she made, how he loathed him for being her chosen companion. This was no different. Hancock was pulled up next to her bed pressed up against it as closely as he could get without sitting on it. Watching for any sign of her eyelashes fluttering, mouth moving, but typically just listening to her breathing. That’s as good as it was gonna get for now.

Nick had an investigation to run with a promise to return as quickly as he could. “Just focus on what ya gotta do ya old coot.” John teased affectionately. “With me here, she hasn’t got a damn thing to worry about.”

Preston hardly looked his way since they were left alone. The tension was so thick you’d run smack into it like a brick wall if you ran through the room fast enough. Hancock kept one of her dainty hands in two of his rougher ones. His thumb brushed along her vein protruding from the bottom of her wrist, feeling her pulse, feeling that she was still alive. Blood still ran through her and her heart was racing from all the cocktails of drugs Doctor Sun put her on.

Preston stared over at him for a moment, watching just how tenderly he touched her. No matter which way the two were connected somehow or another. He was always touching her, defending her, or possessively threatening to slice Piper’s throat if she even thought of trying to get in for some scandalous story about Maddie and twisting up the situation before she could even recall it for herself. “You must really care for her.” He found himself saying.

The words hung between them like christmas lights on a house for a few moments. Hancock slowly looked over his way with eyes as dark as the midnight skies during a radstorm. A chill threaded through the minuteman at how absolutely monstrous they were. Like pits of tar just waiting to suck you in, reminding you that’s gonna be the last thing you ever end up seeing.

“I do.”

They were two simple words, but held such a deeper enunciation than he’d let on.

As jealous as Preston was, he couldn’t be upset. Hancock had traveled to the Castle upon hearing about Maddie’s little suicide mission and sought out his help. “You do too.” Hancock said suddenly. He was looking back at her though, bringing her hand up to brush the back of it along his cheek. He turned to press his lips to it, feeling her fingers twitch in reply to it.

“Not the way you do.” He replied measuredly.

“Bullshit.” The ghoul stated. “I picked up on it the first day I saw you. The way you stared at me like you wanted to rip out my very throat. You’ve got a crush on her.”

The minuteman didn’t deny it, he couldn’t. It was true. “She’s something special…” He murmured softly. “Came right in when Mama Murphy and our gang were holstered up inside Concord. Didn’t ask for payment, didn’t leave us. She saved our asses and she just… Smiled. It was the most prettiest thing I’d seen in days. She was some kind of saint, almost. We lost everyone we traveled with and… She rebuilt the biggest heroes to me as a child. I became one, and under her leadership, we’re expanding. We’re taking back the Commonwealth little by little…”

His little hero, Hancock thought with the tiniest flick of a smile.

“She’s a feisty little shit…” He said affectionately.

“And… For a while, I didn’t know how I felt about you two. I was afraid you’d walk her in to some trouble of sorts, taint her. Change her-”

“I kind of get the point.”

“But.” Preston snapped. “Looks like she dragged you into it instead.”

“Heh,” John snickered a little. “Yeah. But she’s my kind of trouble, I’d go through hell and back if it meant being at her side… She’s my little mind reader, the angel of death for many, but my saving grace…” He kissed each of her fingertips slowly, not afraid to show he was soft for Maddie. The gold band on her finger glinted under the fluorescent lights of the makeshift hospital. “She’s been through enough without the two of us at each other’s throats, Preston…”

He seemed to agree with him with a slow nod. “I can guarantee she’s safe with me. I want nothing more than to protect her, to build more settlements. Make a home for the rogue with no worries of bandits and whatever other dangers Goodneighbor has. With you guys protecting them, any harm won’t stand in their way.” At that, the minuteman smiled. Hancock returned the gesture before leaning over to kiss Maddie’s head saying, “Now why don’t we get ya something to eat? It’s on me.”

Nights went by and still no sign of her waking yet. If she had, either the doctor lied, or he’d actually drank himself to another stupor and forgot. Hancock had her hair across his lap simply running a brush through it to save her from having to chop it off due to it being nothing but a rat’s nest from sleeping on it consecutively. He was focused enough to not notice that there were a dazzling pair of eyes on him.

Maddie didn’t know how the fuck she got here, or why Hancock was there, but she assumed she was safe. That, or he finally found a way to shoot up enough to kill him. She parted her lips and spoke sounding so alien when it whispered his name. His tan hand holding the hairbrush froze. She couldn’t see his face beneath the shade of his hat so she moved to lift it enough. He caught her hand midair and she saw his eyes boring into hers.

It was such a familiar comfort. She tried sitting up feeling fire springing up from her stomach. “Fuck!” She shrieked. Hancock jumped up to press her down by her chest, “Easy, tiger, hey,” He soothed, a hand going through her hair seeing the tears of pain in her eyes. “Maddie, it’s okay.”

“What the fuck?” She gasped, breathing heavily bringing her shaking hand to touch the bandage. “What’s going on?” The ghoul sat on the edge of her bed administer another round of Med-x. She glared him down, “Don’t touch me with that shit, John.” She warned. Bemusedly, he ignored her. “I’m gonna give you relief whether you like it or not. I want you better, and you need to be better.”

“He didn’t have Shaun…” She whispered, remembering the events that lead up to this. Hancock watched her as he unfolded her arm. He pressed a digit around searching for the strongest vein. He kissed her arm when he injected it, apologetically. She was in enough pain without an extra pinch. “I know…” Hancock whispered, lightly dabbing the injection area with some spare vodka he had laying around. Being a disappointment came in handy when you knew first aid with it.

“The institute has him.” She watched Hancock feeling tears welling up all over again. “John, how did you find me? Why are you here? Don’t you hate me?” If she were in his shoes she wouldn’t have even looked back. “I’m sorry, I was so upset this is all so much-” He cut her off with his lips on hers again, taking her face in his palms. This time, she didn’t fight and welcomed it like a visit from an old friend.

She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him just that much closer. Detaching with a slow pull of his lips, he rested his forehead on hers. “Please…” She was shocked to hear someone like him, always so cool and collected,sound so fucking wrecked. “Maddie, never do this again. Don’t you ever try to take yourself from me again…” She looked up at him from beneath her lashes to find a stray tear rolling down his cheek.

Her heart snapped right in half.

“John, John, I’m here.” She cupped his cheek with her palm wiping his tears this time. “I’m sorry.” And she very well should be.

The two sat in silence, drinking in each other’s presence like her spongy body absorbed radiation. “Valentine came to me…” He rasped, kissing the tip of her nose, then her forehead. “Said you wanted to go alone. He and I went to Preston in hopes of finding you there at the Castle, but he said you’d been long gone... “

“You guys came to find me..?” She asked softly. He pulled away enough to find her eyes and search his favorite sea of golden chocolate. God, he thought he’d never get to see them again.

“You fuckin’ moron, of course we did. You don’t know how scary it was, your beautiful face so still… I couldn’t see your eyes, you weren’t breathing. You lost so much blood they didn’t know if you’d make it.” She looked around the room with furrowed brows. She wasn’t at the Memory Den, not in Goodneighbor. Usually with him there that was always the city preference to go to. “And where are we now..?”

“Diamond City.”

“But they fucking hate ghouls, are you actually dead? Is this some twisted afterlife?”

Hancock laughed, but so soft and quiet. Maddie grinned hearing it, feeling the heaviness lift off the two of them. “If so, death is a trip I never wanna experience again.”

Breathing out a sigh she reached down to thread her fingers through his. They laced together so naturally. “Why don’t you lay with me?” She asked softly. Hancock obliged, leaning there next to her on the tiny cot. He crossed his legs together bringing her to rest her head right there in his lap, just the way he liked it. He threaded his fingers through her previously combed through hair, brushing it off her bruised face.

“You know… Scars and bruises are a damn good look for you.” He chuckled.

“Only because you wanna be the only one to leave them on me.” She countered.

“You’re not wrong. I promise once you’re healed, I’ll fully take you up on it. For now, rest my little she devil. You can get back to kicking ass in a little while.”

Her cheek nuzzled on his thigh when she nodded. “‘Ssa deal.” She murmured.

Relief flooded his system - or maybe the drugs just kicked in - but holy fuck. She was alive, she was okay. “John?” She muttered.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

“You’ll stay with me, right..? Even after this? When I’m better?”

“Maddie,” John began, “I’d follow you even if both my legs fell off and I’d have to drag myself by the stomach.”


	9. Chapter 9

“You need a new outfit.” Said Maddie, moving around the room of her home here in the city to fix a few light bulbs. Hancock persisted she stop moving for just a second and she stared squarely in his eyes, “No. I got a bullet wound. Not a crippled leg or somethin’.”

“Were you always so stubborn?” He asked from where he stood nearby just in case she ended up hurting herself. The little bit of grace in the angel of death was stunted for right now. Her equilibrium was off. She’d stumble if she stood too long, and they argued over that a few times.

“Since the day I was born.” She replied stepping down off the ladder with a slightly pained huff. The ghoul folded it up and set it aside, taking her by the hips. They were exposed under the cut off crop top she wore, in large sweatpants instead of whatever combat armor she was usually clad in. She smiled up at him with a grin as sweet as honey bourbon and it warmed him up just as much.

“Guess it’s one of my favorite things about ya…” He dipped his head down to kiss along her neck. Each little touch sending tingles up her spine and back again, tickling the farm of butterflies in her lower stomach. Giggling softly to herself that velvet purr of hers was right next to his ear, “You’re such a sweet talker, John…” She wound her arms around his neck, she liked how she had to stand on her tippy toes to do it.

He lifted her with such a careful ease the stretch of her broken muscles hardly noticeable. She wound her muscled legs around his waist digging her nose right into the crook of his neck. She nibbled on the softly scarred skin, his arms tightening in response. “You drive me all shades of crazy…” He informed her with a husky murmur. He turned them so her back was supported on the wall. Maddie just smirked up at him.

”This your favorite position?”

“Watch that smartass mouth of yours…” He cupped her chin, drawing his thumb along her lower lip. There was no fear when she wound those full lips right around it. Her tongue drew sinful designs on it and his little John wasn’t so tiny anymore. Catching onto the shocked look in his eyes she pulled off with the softest of, “ _Pop_.”

“Or whatcha gonna do, Johnny?” She licked along her upper lip mischievously. “Spank me?” Without warning he whipped them around, bending her over the arm of the sofa seated back near her power armor station. It’d been so long since someone touched her this way it didn’t take long for her need to seep through the thin cloth of her pants.

John tugged the pants down with ease delivering a sharp smack to that perfectly plump ass of hers. Maddie cried out with a moaned giggle, placing her palms on the rest, looking back at him with lusted eyes so dark he quivered in his boots. It was the hottest sound he’d ever heard. Again and again he struck her until she was bowed behind the thick curtain of hair. Hancock chuckled and gripped it, wrapping it around his hand to yank it back growling in her ear, “You think you can handle me, princess?”

In reply, she nodded with a crooked wobbling smirk. “I don’t think you can handle me, Hancock.” He skimmed a single digit along the soaked folds between her legs, shaking his head though she couldn’t see. It worked like a magic button because her legs spread then, wanting. Needing. His finger slipped in with ease and she gasped. She immediately bit her lower lip to stifle the sound. “Oh, don’t get quiet now…” He chuckled, feeling how wet and wanting she was.

Little by little, he added two more fingers. He was going so disturbingly slow feeling her walls clenching when he curled them up to that perfect spot. He wanted her to be a mess for him, to beg for what she wanted. “You talk a lot of shit for someone who’s silence is a little loud.” He whispered in her ear, giving her pretty hair a tug.

Maddie gasped out whispering so softly he almost didn’t hear it, “Please.” Her voice was so little. “I don’t think I heard you, pretty.” He taunted, shoving his fingers knuckle deep with a newfound roughness.

Maddie whimpered louder then, shoving back on them with a buck of her hips. “Please, goddamnit. I want you.” She turned those eyes on him and he turned to jelly at her request. Spreading her open, he wiggled out of his frocks. He was rock hard and wanted to make sure he didn’t go to pound town right away. After all, it had been two hundred years since anyone touched her like this.

He hoped.

He pushed into her slowly gripping her little waist. His thumbs fit perfectly into the little dimples in her lower back. She was so much tighter around his girth than he ever could fantasize about. She sucked him like a vacuum and he couldn’t get enough. Maddie released a low long moan feeling him stretching her open. There was such a sweet burn as he sank deeper and deeper, never seeming to end, she thought. He moved deep and slow just to let her get accommodated to the sensations.

“Don’t take it easy on me now, mayor.” She breathed, wiggling her way until his balls sat perfectly pressed up against her sweet, sweet heat. He tightened his grip on her, nailing into her with a sudden encouragement. Her pants and groans turned to all out cries mixed with the sound of their hips colliding together. She met each of his thrusts with a concentrated momentum. At this rate, it was her fucking him. She rode his length from this position until he pulled out leaving her whining for more.

He collected her up and lay her on her back on the sofa throwing one of her petite legs over his shoulder slamming right back into her with brutal precession. Her body jerked against his, back arching up despite the yelling her body was doing. “Fuck me!” She wailed, gripping the sofa above her. Her nails broke through the material. She was fucked out of her mind and her brain went to jelly. She lost all ability to form words with as hard as he was bucking into her. She squirmed feeling her orgasm coming - and quick. Hancock could feel her clenching and only pedalled his movements. He was like a goddamn rabbit!

Hancock knew already he wouldn’t ever be able to feel something this good and ever get tired of it. There was a flame flickering the moment their eyes met, but when they touched, collided like wrecking cars, it was an eruption. She was ice in his whiskey, she was the flint to his stone. The way her body undulated with each stroke of his body, gripping, tearing his skin. Grasping onto anything to yank them closer together. It was his new addiction. Maddie wheezed and whimpered those eyes of hers so open and vulnerable.

She grabbed him by the face kissing him so fiercely he had no choice but to swallow the cries she muffled into his mouth. She was the hottest thing he’d ever fucking found. Her thigh brushed up against his side igniting a new found steady blaze. She pulled him close shoving him just that much deeper. He ducked his head into the crook of her shoulder grumbling, “Fuck, woman… You’re driving me crazy.”

She cupped the back of his head dropping a hand to hold his lower back. Her voice was honey dripping into is ear, “Don’t you ever stop.” He broke away just to look into her eyes, snapping his hips forward. Her breasts bounced violently, the sofa scraping noisily up against the floor. She was making animalistic noises and fuck, it shouldn’t turn him on this much. He bit along her collarbone leaving marks - he owned her. Everyone was gonna know it now.

When she looked in the mirror, she’d see him. Feel him.

“Love your cock, don’t ever stop.” Her voice was so throaty and husky from the ruckus pleading and encouragement. “Fuck me, daddy!” Hancock had never really considered the whole daddy thing to be a turn on but with her, holy fuck.

“Babe!” She forced out through clenched teeth. A vital warning of what was to come. She wrenched her top off feeling so fucking constricted in it. Hancock wanted to take puffs of jet to take in the moment. Her skin was untouched except for two little pink scars, the one on her middle still darker and fresh than the welted on on her shoulder. She was so smooth, so fucking pure. She was so pale she seemed to glow under the dim lights of the room.

“So goddamn gorgeous.” He panted and just like that she came undone. Her leg on his shoulder cramped up, the heel of her foot digging into the soft flesh. She tried to pull off his still unyielding cock. He just pinned her in place, taking her for everything she had. “Don’t stop it, please!” Maddie begged. “Feels so fucking good, you’re so fucking-” She erupted again and again, her whole body convulsing.

He couldn’t hold it when she tightened painfully around him for a third time. He held his shaft up into her as he emptied into her waiting body. She was absolutely gorgeous with a sweaty sheen to her flushed skin, body limp and spent like a ragdolls. He pulled out and she winced, but he kissed her so passionately. Every ounce of his soul went into it. Every single inch of her curves fit up against him like they were made to piece together. Two halves of the same whole. He pulled back feeling her hot breath hitting his lips, her eyes lidded when she looked back up at him.

Neither of them felt the need to say anything. He turned them over so she could curl up right on top of him, tracing patterns on his exposed skin. He was amazed how she didn’t vomit or something when she stared at his naked form. He played with her hair while her breathing evened out, and she peppered little kisses along his chest. Her ear rested on him, feeling his heart pounding up like it was trying to kick her head.

He was so warm half of the time she really didn’t need a blanket. This was one of those times. His arms around her, toes resting on him, she felt like she was being consoled by a teddy bear. Except this one was just a little mutated and could outdrink an irish sailor. “You’re the best thing I got ya know…” He whispered. His voice was as smooth as menthol cigarettes and the purest of whiskey. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

Maddie smiled warmly, tilting her chin up to look him in the eyes. “Yeah, I am pretty great.” The two of them just laughed. It was the carefree, fuck what everyone else seems to think kind of moment. “If I hadn't found you, there’s no telling where I’d be…”

“If I never found you,” He began, wiggling up to sit on his elbows to look down at her. “I’d be nursing that some old barstool, drinking the same ol’ drink.” It sounded like same sad little country song, but hell, it was true. “Us two against the world, Mads, they don’t stand a chance.” Maddie just beamed the biggest fucking smile and kissed him. Over and over and over like she couldn’t get enough.

“Just do me a favor, John.” Maddie dragged kisses along his chin, down his jugular. “Don’t think of runnin’ off on me too.” She murmured on his skin the lower she went down. She hovered right over the head of his cock, already twitching back to life when he breath swept it. “I’ll have to kill you. Forget the army, I got enough firepower in myself.” And just like that she stole the show and they went for round two.

The night ended with Maddie asleep tangled up in the bedsheets her head on Hancock’s fit bare chest. There was nothing so serene as listening to her even breathing, unshaken, unfaltering. Her long hair swirling around his skin while covering part of her perfectly milky cheeks. Her long lashes rested right on top of her chiseled cheekbones with little spidery shadows casting against her nose. He lay there playing with the hand draped across his middle. Her fingers were so petite but callussed, a little nicked here and there from whatever she built.

He threaded their fingers together simply amazed by how much bigger his was compared to it. He lined up their appendages when there came a knock on the door. Blinking, he looked down to see her still peacefully asleep. He really didn’t wanna detach from such an angelic being, but whoever was at the door was persistent. Hancock slowly slid from under her, replacing himself with a larger pillow. She grinned even in her rest. She snuggled right up to it cheek puckering out her lips. His heart swelled right into his throat.

“ _Knockknockknockknock_.”

“What the fuck.” He stepped into a pair of slacks and a Shirt since is colonial getup was being attended to. He threw the metal door open just so she could sleep. Piper stood at the door with pen and paper, that signature little nosy smirk on her lips. “Well, well. Mayor Hancock. Almost didn’t recognize you without your Hamilton costume…” She rose on her tiptoes observing the place behind him no doubt looking for Maddie.

“She’s asleep, where she belongs.” He swung the door shut. Piper huffed in irritation stopping her foot in the way causing it to rebound right back.

“Then you should answer something for me.”

“I’m all for freedom of speech, but not for a leech like you. She will talk to you in her own time. You wake her up and I’ll show you what feral is. I’ll eat from the toes up.”

“Hmph. A little disturbing, even for you, mayor.”

The ghoul sneered exposing his set of perfect teeth still left. “Leave.”

There was a stark finality, leaning back enough to look up the stairs. Maddie had turned onto her side where he could see her. She was still sleeping peacefully and sighed in relief. That little bit of distraction was enough for the reporter to literally glide her way on into the place like it was her own pad. “Nice set up.”

He whirled to stare incredulously at this bitch.

“What part of leave did you just not seem to fucking understand?” He seethed dangerously. Piper just smirked, flicking her eyes up the stairs where Maddie lay.

“I had to see what the excitement in town was about. I didn’t expect to venture into something so scandalous. I can see it now, Mayor Hancock, Frocking with The Vault Dweller, the Dangerous-” He stalked over ready to lay her out when he caught the soft pitter patter of feet. Piper peered from over his shoulder from where she was flat on the wall finding the very sleepy Maddie wrapped up in a thin comforter.

“Now look what you did.” He muttered, backing off enough just to turn to look at her.

Her messy hair would have been a dead giveaway to the night’s events had it not been for the bruising hickies covering most of her chest and neck. Piper just smirked smugly. “John…” She stepped over still heavy with the weight of slumber, leaning against his side. Her eyelids fluttered closed like she was gonna fall dead asleep on her feet. “Come back to bed.”

He pulled an arm around her digging his nose into her hair, “I’ve been trying to. A little brown nosing reporter forced her way in. She won’t leave until you talk to her. I say we just kill her. Not like she’d be missed around these parts, ya know?”

Maddie groaned irritably just shaking her head to dig herself deeper into his side for a moment. To Piper, it was the most oddest thing she’d ever witnessed. The big bad serial killer murderer being all cuddled up on a… Hancock. That just wasn’t right.

“Go away.”

“I have you here now. The faster you answer some of my questions, the quicker I can be out of your hair.”

“Let’s just kill her.” Maddie uttered.

Breathing out a dramatic sigh Piper just flopped down dismissing both of their attitudes.

The vaultie turned those sharp eyes on her moving herself away from her boyfriend, if she could call him that, yet. “You’re that girl McDonough was trying to throw out at the gate, right?” The girl in the Newspaper hat grinned boldly. “Writer and owner and investigator of the Publick Occurrences! I have to get the tea on the new girl who took down Kellogg, escaped from a vault, and became the Mayor of Goodneighbor’s new side piece while leading the minutemen.”

Something about the way she said it made Maddie’s stomach clench angrily. Hancock opened his mouth to say something when her voice rang out so powerful he swore he heard the voice of god. “You ever fucking call me that again and you’ll be eating your fucking teeth, Piper.” It was enough to have her second guessing, because she quickly scribbled out something on her notepad. “We don’t need anymore rumors spreading, and you’re not gonna taint my name. I have enough going on. Don’t bring personal shit in with politics. Between the goddamn synth fearing hysteria, you’re not gonna be helping me with anything.”

“She’s a fireball.” He stated matter of factly.

“I’m sorry,” Piper divulged apologetically. “It’s just - everyone in town has been wondering about you. What your story is. You arrive out of nowhere, start changing the commonwealth. Then you arrive here hanging onto life by a thread with the most powerful detective and intimidating thug mayor of a rebellious city. The people wanna know, Blue. They gotta.”

Hancock really disagreed, but his other half was much, much more accepting than he was. Maddie had the patience of a saint. “Fine. Sit down. I’ll start from the beginning…” Piper grinned and sat criss crossed, ready for a good story time.

Maddie found herself tired again by the time she drained her mouth, brain, and emotions. Picking up on her exhaustion, he swooped her up bridal style to carry her back upstairs. He also had to administer another round of pain medicine despite how much she fought against it. “I think that’s enough for one night, she’s had to relive this enough…” Maddie drew her arms around his neck wanting nothing more than to just hide from this ugly world.

Piper seemed satisfied and nodded in agreement. “Thank you for your time. And Blue,” She spoke to Hancock’s retreating figure, “I’m sorry for your loss. Genuinely.”

Maddie just curled up as tight as her sore body would let her listening to the front door open then close again. She didn’t pay any mind to Hancock when he lay her down. “Are… You okay?” She swallowed the lump in her throat feeling the impact of everything for the first time. Recalling her meeting with Conrad Kellogg, not finding her son, having no clue where to look.

She reached up to turn off the light. Hancock sighed sadly, moving next to her in the bed. “Don’t hide from me, Mads…” Even in the dark, back turned, he could feel the thick layer of melancholy. He traced her curves with the tips of his fingers, sliding them up and down the tender skin of her back. “I’m never gonna find him, John…” Her voice was thick, her own emotions drowning out his presence entirely.

She couldn’t believe all of her fighting - for nothing. There was no way into the institute. Even if there was, she’d be shot dead on the fucking spot. “Where’s my little fighter at?” He draped an arm around her waist, laying the most supple of pecks along her shoulders. He brushed her hair over her shoulder, letting his lips linger on the back of her neck. “We’ll find a way in.” He murmured comfortingly against her skin.

He felt her ease back into his touch. “You’re Madeleine Preston. You can follow any goddamn thing you put that pretty little heart into. We’ll get there, save Shaun. We’ll take our power back…” She turned over causing the blankets to protest in reply. Her arms went around his neck, lips meeting together. He could taste the salt from the tears on their lips. Hancock drew the back of his fingers along her face to catch each one.

“Nick has been wanting to talk to you about what you discovered.” He whispered. “We’ll go to him when you’re ready. He’ll help us. We’re not letting you go through this alone. Preston, too, if you wanna include him.” She nodded, nose brushing against his chin in the process. “Get some sleep, princess.” He said softly. “Daddy’s got ya. Ain’t no boogeyman gonna take ya.”


	10. Chapter 10

Hancock wasn’t the most sanest man around, intelligent, street smart, but batshit crazy when it came down to it. Either a smartass or a pissy little thug who worked the caps like he worked his ladies. It was such a turn on to see him stick up for her, but it did something else entirely when Maddie turned into the grim reaper. Like currently, the soft side of her dispersed the moment a raider hopped out from around the corner of the building. Always at the ready, moving like a goddamn ninja. Her eyes went from warm chocolate to the hardest bricks of mud and her lips set in the most deadliest bloody fucking grin he’d ever seen.

A pipe pistol round flew right past Hancock’s head and he glared in the direction it came from. “Ya see ‘em?”

Her voice was the epitome of a black widow, smooth as fucking satin, “Oh yeah. C’mere little kitty, come to mommy.” The trouble swirled in his stomach. His cock sprung to life damn near tackling her right then and there. They were traveling through cambridge to help one of the nearby settlements, and even John expressed how dangerous it was. As usual, she just smirked that sassy little smirk and swung those pretty hips his way.

She dragged the edge of her blade right along his cheek whispering deadly, “Trust me on this, big daddy.” And kissed him as if she hadn’t just totally turned him on.

She was kneeling down her sights aimed on the shoulder blade of the villain. “Just a little closer…” Hancock hung onto every letter dripping out of her mouth like sin. Every syllable, every pronounced consonant and vowel. The man in the road leathers turned right into her sights and-

“Bam!”

He fell back with a breathless cry.

John went to inspect the body to find any loot and found a perfect burn mark from her rifle right between the man’s eyes. Goddamn, what a shot. She came up behind him drawing her arms around his waist with the most prideful smile. “You little minx,” He whipped around in her grip taking her chin in his hands kissing her so violently she almost attacked him. Well, not sexually at least.

She gasped into his mouth yanking him close by the back of his neck. He tasted of mentats and cigarettes, and a hint of stale whiskey. It became his signature savoriness. Their tongues tangled for dominance, probably one of his other favorite things about her. She was either dominant or submissive and he’d never been one to let anyone take control. Not without earning it, but goddamn, did she ever.

He bit her lower lip eliciting the most delicate mewl from her. He chuckled against her lips, sneaking his arms around the back of her black and red jumpsuit. The leather clung to her perfect curvy body, and he wanted to see it perfect and nude under the heat of the commonwealth.

“John,” She was breathless sliding her hands down to pry him away by the shoulders right when his fingers found the zipper. “Babe,” She attempted again. He was stubborn and wanted her thin and now. “Not now.” He growled in her ear when he pulled her hair back to attack her neck. Maddie was clueless right now feeling all her senses direct right to him instead.

“Right now?” His tongue tasted her sweaty skin, suckling the tender skin with a mumble of compliance in reply. She chuckled at him whispering in his ear, “We don’t have time.” So she dropped down to her knees much to his surprise. “Thought you said we didn’t have time?” He asked cocking up a bare eyebrow.

She just grinned and tugged his pants down enough to expose his rock hard length. It was definitely above average size, even for someone as small as her stature. Her mouth was a weapon all its own when it came to other things besides verbal assaults. Her tongue could draw a map to every sensation nation.

She licked her lips swallowing the tip of his cock with the most disgusting sound he’d ever heard her make. It was wet and obscene, so filthy, but so so right for him. “Princess, you naughty little minx.” He collected her hair in his palm wrapping it around once. He’d let her have control for a little, he thought. She lowered her mouth down then back up at a taunting pace. Her tongue swirled around the bottom side of his length massaging it with the most tiniest of laps.

He placed his free hand on the wall of a nearby crumbling remnant, knowing when he came it was gonna take his knees with him. She looked up when he released slow deep breaths knowing damn well she had him. Her tongue brushed right up against the sensitive spot beneath the head of his cock and bucked right down her throat.

She gagged in surprise but her tight throat felt so good. She caught the hint and stopped her mouth assault parting that pretty mouth of hers up wider. “Good girl…” He whispered. He fucked her mouth at such a brutal pace he thought she’d be trying to get away. Slobber ran down her chin, hitting the dusty ground between them. He could see her softly rubbing at the fabric between her legs trying to reach her own need.

But like she said, they didn’t have time.

It seemed to turn her on more this way. He slowed down but she wasn’t having it. She slammed her mouth right down until her lower lip brushed his balls and he came - harder than he thought he ever had. He tried to release himself as to not drown her in his cum. She didn’t budge and just swallowed the mess. To say he felt absolutely appalled was an understatement. Eyes wide he muttered, “Holy shit, Maddie.”

She pulled back slowly licking him clean like it was the most easiest task in the world. After fixing him she stood brushing off the dirt on her knees. “We should get going,” She told him with a devastatingly devilish smile. He was left staring after her retreating backside with the most mind blown expression. She just smirked to herself because she knew she had him wrapped around her pretty little finger.

The pair broke through the cloud of dust sweltering up under the overcast skies. Through the green smog their forms were ominous as the weather surrounding them. Maddie was a stone cold stunner with blood coating the tip of her gun from the ferals they’d managed to wrestle off in college square. “There is nothing sexier than a woman who can operate like you, sister.” His throaty voice purred in her ear when he joined back at her side. She just grinned and stole a quick kiss. “You’re just trying to earn some brownie points to get to the prize.”

Hancock beamed and circled his arms around her waist dipping her back. He held her by her lower back wagging his invisible brows at her. “I’m not charismatic for nothin’, princess.” He kissed along her jaw dragging it to the curve of her outfit’s neckline when the sound of ragged gunfire broke through the air. The two broke apart like two teenager’s caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be. “Where is it coming from?”

Hancock nodded the tip of his hat towards the East. “The Cambridge Police Station.” The two sprinted through finding ferals seeming to have the plan. They were long forgotten the closer they go to the destination. Hancock didn’t miss on one of the gates, a sign that made made him stop clear in his tracks while she ran right on ahead. “No fuggin’ way... “ He mused under his breath. Brotherhood of Steel insignias littered it in a stark white against the metallic and wood building.

Maddie saw three people at the porch steps. One in power armor, two being shielded behind the stark legs of him. “Help us!” The gruff voice called out gravely. She saw a woman bent over and actively working on a man who was gasping for breath in pain. Maddie wasted no time in shooting off the ferals around them. Hancock didn’t wanna help this shitty little military class due to his own personal beef with them. Protecting Maddie was the only reason he joined in.

The three dogged down any of the zombies flying their way. Maddie hated having to kill them sometimes, even if it felt like mercy. They were ghouls just like John whose brains just… Rotted. It wasn’t their fault and they had no control of the sickness inside them. When the final one crumbled she turned to make sure Hancock was okay before checking the other survivors. She didn’t miss the angry flare in his obsidian eyes. She was about to ask when the man in power armor stepped forward to her. “Thank you for your help, civilian.”

She blinked in confusion. “Civilian?”

“I’m Paladin Danse of the brotherhood. My recon team and I set up base here. Seemed like a safe enough space…” He glanced at Hancock from the corner of his eyes. “I’m Maddie, and this here is Hancock.”

Danse scowled at the mention of his name, “I didn’t think zombies got designations.” The ghoul bulked up steadily as if preparing for a fight. Maddie looked between the two of them wondering if they met before John spoke with so much acid she was afraid the concrete would disintegrate, “The Brotherhood of Steel. The fucking nazis of whatever is left of this war torn fuckhole.”

“Nazis isn’t a term I’d use. We believe in the technology of the old world, keeping it out of the power of… Lesser things.” Paladin Danse emphasized the last word making it clear what he meant.

“You mean people?” Maddie clarified.

“Ghouls and mutants are hardly human.”

Hancock growled and lunged with a seething hiss between his teeth, “I’ll show you a goddamn monster, pretty boy. Make a fuckin’ move.You got no clue who you're dealing. You're gonna want to back the hell off. ”

The Vault Dweller hopped in front of him placing her full arm up against his chest, hooking her finger into his frock collar. Danse rose his laser pistol and she gave him the dirtiest look. “If you want my help, lower the weapons. Both of you.” She turned her eyes to Hancock who looked at her in absolute disdain.

“You’re really thinking of fucking helping him?”

Her eyes narrowed in warning yanking on his shirt with her finger. “His people need it. This isn’t about helping the brotherhood and whatever the fuck it is they want.” Her voice was a low whisper so only the two could hear. The ghoul moved out of her grip so quick his coat flared up dramatically. Breathing out a sigh, she turned back to Danse.

“You’re gonna speak to him with some respect, Paladin.” She demanded, hands on her hips. “Or I will leave you out here to venture the commonwealth on your own. And judging by how you could hardly hold off ferals,” She chuckled. “You need my help. Hancock is gonna be right here, next to me, guarding your ass.”

“I’m not protecting him. I’m watching yours.” Hancock bit out.

Maddie turned to look at him again and he softened up just enough for her. His defensive posture remained, silent conversation rolling on and on between the two of them.

Danse was eyeballing her with absolute disgust at the way she just handled him. It was obvious by the way the two acted together there was something more going on. However, he was dedicated to getting the resources he needed. “We lost contact with our station,” The woman nursing the scribe behind them spoke. Maddie turned to look almost forgetting there was something more important going on behind them.

She rushed over and knelt on the other side of the male. “I’m Scribe Haylen, this is Scribe Rhys.” The bald headed man groaned in pain, head rolling back and forth slowly.

“Is he gonna be alright?” Maddie asked, already digging in her pocket for a stimpak. Haylen shook her head the moment the antiseptic came into view.

“He’s fine. We just need to get him inside, out of the open. There’s a transmitter we need. We think the Arcjet building down the street some ways has one we can use. We need supplies, or we’re gonna end up dying out here.”

Danse frowned gravely. “Get Rhys inside. Maddie, Hancock, and I,” He forced out John’s name like it actually burned his mouth, “Will investigate and find this communication device.” He stalked past them avoiding going anywhere near Hancock. John stared after him before he turned his eyes onto Maddie. “Fighting ghouls along side of the brotherhood. I hope that’s not a reoccurring theme with you.” He walked ahead of her before she could reply.

She couldn’t believe she was dealing with two testosterone driven crybabies at once.

Danse lead the pack as if he actually knew the layout of the commonwealth. Maddie couldn’t help the way her eyes rolled when Danse acted as if he was aware of every superb fact since he landed his fancy little spaceship.She could feel Hancock’s itch to shoot him. He’d raise his gun up at his shoulder, then back down, then back again. “Behave.” She whispered while Danse went on and on and on.

“I don’t see what this has to do with anything. We don’t need someone coming to take control of this place. People need to make their own decisions. Not have someone do it for them.” He looked over at her and she just stared forward trying to pick her words.

“Helping them isn’t gonna mean they’re gonna intrude.”

“Anytime the Brotherhood has been spotted, they end up taking over or fighting with whatever factions there are. Maddie, nothing good is gonna come of this. I say we turn back now, leave the guy here. Let him do it by himself.”

There was a level of hopeless pleading to the edge of his tone causing her to frown to herself. “Babe,” She put a hand on his arm stopping him in his tracks. Her voice was so calm and soft that it broke whatever tension there’d been between them. She cupped his cheek brushing her thumb along his leathery skin. “Put your trust in me. If anything between the Institute, the Brotherhood, anyone stirs up… I’ll handle it. Even if it means just me against them, no help from you. The minutemen, my men…” Immediately he holstered his shotgun gripping her chin in his fingers.

He tilted her head up and kissed her tenderly enough to bring the familiar burning of tears behind her eyes. “Don’t you ever think I’d let you go to war without me.” They gazed into each other’s eyes. Everything around them disappeared for a moment, the murmuring of the tin man before them nothing but a buzz of white noise. All she could see, and feel, was Hancock.

“It’s a deal.” She whispered, stealing a final kiss before she took his hand in hers. Their fingers folded together like a puzzle piece and they continued inside the building ignoring how Danse glowered when he caught sight of the two lovers. Hancock just smirked watching how loathing he was. Maddie was distracted by the destruction of the place which worked out just fine for him. He was challenging the man, daring him to muster some response.

Danse couldn’t understand why such a brutal beautiful woman would settle with something like that. A ghoul. Especially dressed like some colonial nightmare. She had the eyes of a sniper and a wit as sharp as a katana. She’d make one hell of an addition to the brotherhood. “Look.” Maddie slipped to Danse’s side when he spoke, staring at the disposed carcasses of protectrons.

“We missed the party.” She pouted. That earned her a stern father-like stare down.

“There’s no blood, no sign of anything human.” Paladin shuffled the body to the side inspecting his suspicions further.

“ _So_?” She cocked an eyebrow at him continuing forward through the collapsed corridor. “You thinking ghouls or-”

A large blue laser broke through the dark room like a flash of lightning during a storm. It nailed her right in the arm earning a startled cry in reply. “Synths!” Danse roared, shoving her aside brutally with his armored up arm. She stumbled a little. Hancock gripped her waist to steady her inspecting the burn mark on her but she just said, “Worry about me later. We gotta protect this big metal ape from the big scary robot skeletons.”

Hancock just breathed out a sigh and rubbed his temples, leaning an arm against the wall watching the two work. They both were methodical. Danse would find propositions between synths and calculated his next move. Maddie was stealthy with eyes that didn’t miss a thing. Quick on her feet. Each jump was like a ballerina during Swan Lake, dodging every hit but never missing an enemy. Uneasiness quivered in his stomach.

Who knew what kind of hell would unleash if she ever sided with the brotherhood or institute.

Maddie swallowed when she strutted past the dead synths. She never believed the institute was a real place at all kind of like the phobia of communists that started the war. It was her second time coming upon them, and the cold hard truth was staring her in the face. It was real, and out there somewhere. “Pay attention, soldier.” Danse said to her, noticing the forlorn way she stared after them. She turned to look at him and he adjusted himself caught off guard by just how stunning they were.

Those eyes were a window to a place so unnerving but inviting. There was so much in them from wonder to such an intense burning rigidness he felt… like he was under attack by her almost. Hancock felt it then, the burning territorial that had been festering. He stared at her in some form of amazement under his stone cold frigidness. It was the whole military get up. He didn’t blame the guy whatsoever, oh no. Maddie was an art piece all her own.

It was the fact she was so oblivious to it in the moment.

She took in a slow deep breath through her nose exhaling deeply. He nodded, once he saw she was more relaxed. Hancock was there next to her the moment his back was to her continuing to the dark engine room. “What are you thinking?” He asked.

“The institute is actually out there…”

Hancock only nodded.

“I didn’t believe it when I first… Got here. Now it’s just…” Gadgets sparked from one of the nearby robots. She knelt down to pick at any parts that’d do her handy for whatever it is she wanted to build. “It’s uneasy… To know it’s an actual real place.”

“We fear no one. Nothing.” Hancock told her, his eyes stark and fierce even in such a solemn space. “Especially you. You’re much stronger than you could give yourself credit for. We take them down, we destroy any of their little minions, and help the ones who got free.” Maddie just nodded and hopped up on her tiptoes kissing his forehead. “I can always count on your pep talks.” He swatted her ass when she walked past just wondering what he ever did to get someone like her in his life.

“The elevator is down.” Danse informed her when she ran down the few flights of stairs near the middle. “We need to restore power to it.” Chewing on the inside of her cheek in thought her eyes scanned to find the little room at the bottom of the engine room. Guessing that was her destination, she broke out in a full sprint and launched herself to the bottom. Hancock ran over keeling over the railing to watch her.

“You got some serious thrill issues.”

She just flipped him off with a delightful giggle that reached right into his chest and clenched his soiled little heart in its hands. This woman was gonna be the death of him, he knew it the moment their paths crossed. With a shake of his head John sauntered down the stairs to join her. Danse was thumping behind him so noisily the platform shook. If he wanted to be stealthy he’d definitely have no luck. Even with a fucking Stealth boy.

He joined her in the basement where she flipped open the lid on the engine button. “Thank God,” She sighed in relief upon seeing him. “I was gonna call you in, mostly because-” Synths began dropping like dead flies outside of the window showing into the jet room. “Well, sucks to be him.” Hancock muttered. It was like a sea of robots trying to drag the paladin right down and under with little to no problem.

She immediately pressed the button with an emergency urgency. She listened to the automatic voice counting down. There was a blinding flash of light and a roar mightier than any deathclaw she ran across. Hancock gasped, “Shit!” Peering for any evidence of the Brotherhood paladin and found him huddled in the corner hidden behind his power armor. The synths around them fried up. Once it cleared, Maddie was out before he could stop her.

“Oh my _God_ , are you okay?” She placed a hand on his armor ignoring how it scorched her palm like it was nothing. He lifted his head to see him offer the smallest of smiles, pained, but there. “Yeah. My armor took more of the damage for me…” He stood using her for help, his hold lingering too long for Hancock’s liking. Did he feel competition? By no means.

It was the first time in a damn good while Hancock felt a burning jealousy over her.

It had to be that insecure part of him that still pondered over the reasoning of how he even managed to nab her. So pure, still so untouched by the commonwealth. He prayed to God she was strong enough to overcome such a shitty place. It changed you, he himself knew it very well.

“We should get going.” Hancock broadcasted gruffly. Maddie helped him up, and John loaded on the elevator. Maddie got in with him ready to tear him a new one already for being such a careless dick when Danse tried wriggling in. His metal was much too bulky and pushed both figures against the walls. “I think it’s better you catch the next flight, crew cut.” Hancock purred, pressing the button before the paladin could protest.

“Would it fucking kill you to be civil for even a minute?” Maddie demanded, turning to look at him.

The elevators hissed shut and Hancock gripped her arms so aggressively he probably bruised her. Their lips collided fierce enough to leave some damage behind too, he thought. She gasped into his mouth feeling how ferociously possessive it was. Their tongues battled for who was gonna own who when it was very clear Hancock had her then and there. He pinned her arms above her by the wrists growling so seductively she whimpered. “You’re mine, you understand?” He nipped her throat his warm breath sending chills through her. “I see the way he looks at you, can’t say I blame him. You’re one hell of a woman, sister. But you…” He shook his head, tricorn hat being pushed back so she could see his face. “You’re mine.”

She was grinning breathlessly lightly panting when the doors slid right open to the room below. They both turned to see Paladin Danse waiting for them along with dead carcassess of other synths. He stared in absolute horror at the two of them, but John just smirked right back at him. Maddie scrambled away but John had no rush. He wanted the Paladin to see them.

“Did you find it?” She asked, still a little breathless.

“The deep range transmitter? Yes,” Paladin replied, nodding to the door on the other side of the room. “Now we escape so we can talk in safety.” Hancock was grinning with such a prideful helm Maddie couldn’t bring herself to scold him. He was too fucking loveable for his own good. She took his hand when he ran to the door just to pull him close. “You’re a shithead.” She whispered, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him warmly.

He was smiling into the liplock, draping an arm around her waist. “What can I say, princess? I’m a ghoul with one hell of a charisma.”

Once outside the pair met Danse by the gate. He was watching her now with a confidence and Hancock jumped right to the conclusion he was gonna ask something of her real soon - and he wasn’t gonna like it. “Mission accomplished.” Danse said, turning to her with the smallest hint of a smile. “Now, we have something to discuss.” His tone was back to the serious military soldier, she inwardly groaned. “We could have lost our heads back there.” He said.

“I thought we did fine!” Maddie stated offendedly.

“We got caught off guard a few times, but you. You handled it calmly with a levelhead like a soldier would.”

Hancock protested, “Don’t you fuckin’ _dare_.”

Disregarding the ghouls interjection, Danse continued, “I would like to offer you a place in the brotherhood. We could use skills like yours. No more mercenary work, this will be the real thing.”

Hancock stared Maddie down awaiting her answer. “You better think long and hard about this.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes at him feeling just a little taken back by his hostile tone. “I appreciate the offer,” She began slowly, turning to look Danse square in the eyes, “But my answer is no.”

“What a shame. You know where to find me if you change your mind, Ad victoriam, sister.”   
Danse retreated back towards the direction of Cambridge station. Hancock glared after him with such a hateful expression it reminded Maddie there was a true gangster underneath. She touched his shoulder and leaned on his arm whispering, “I think it’s time we head back home.”

“Which is?”

“Goodneighbor.” She said softly, resting her chin on his bicep, turning those eyes onto him. “We have to meet Nick in the Memory Den, but I think I wanna shower. We both need to relax.” John eased at that, grinning warmly. He was starting to get just a little homesick, if he had to confess. “Let’s get this freakshow on the road, love.” He kissed the side of her head and they took off into the world like Bonnie and Clyde.


	11. Chapter 11

Hancock hadn’t realized just how much he missed the familiar piss, grunge, and gunpowder aroma his city welcomed him with. The moment the door open he felt the familiar welcome of his townfolk, Daisy grinning from her shop. “Madeleine!” She chorused, breaking from around her counter. The two women embraced like old friends. “Oh, my dear, you’re still in one piece!” She touched her fingers to Maddie’s smooth face, kissing between her eyebrows. She turned to see John and grinned broadly enough to shatter her skin.

“How’s my favorite girl?” He greeted, almost toppling over when the elder ghoul launched herself at him and hugged him tight. “It’s so nice to see you again, I was starting to think you two got in some kind of trouble you couldn’t get out of!”

“Nonsense, Daisy. You know me better than that.” He leaned against the concrete walls with the familiar mischievous glint in his eyes. “Not like Maddie would let that happen.”

“Test me and we’ll see.” Maddie’s reply came just an endearing. She was standing inside the little store nibbling on her lower lip in thought. She was looking for something to eat that her sensitive stomach wouldn’t reject right away.

Hancock chuckled moving up behind her, looping her arms around her waist from behind. He hugged her right against his heat, chin going on top of her head. Daisy stared in shock for a moment seeing her mayor - and longtime friend - all snuggled up on a dame. Not that it wasn’t uncommon, he got around. There was just something more… Grounded between the two of them. It was like watching an old romance projection.

When he spoke, she grinned with a familiar sparkle. It was the way she didn’t seem to notice anything rotten around them. Her eyes were on him like he was the only one, the only goddamn thing that mattered. John was smitten, always touching her, shooting back smartass comments like gunfire. It warmed her heart, honestly.

John had been such a complicated mess from the getgo. They’d bonded together just as much as he and Fahrenheit had, if not more. His black eyes glittered when he stared at her, his eyes crinkling when he grinned at her. Maddie turned in his arms with one of her eyebrows cocked up. She stood up to whisper something in his ear and Hancock went rigid as a statue. Her bell like laughter rang out through the square drowning out the sounds of drifters.

“It’s kind of cute isn’t it? Makes ya wanna puke.” Daisy jolted when Deacon, now dressed as some sort of doctor, appeared at her side. “Quit spying on them, Daisy. That’s my job.”

“Not like they’ll be able to see us no way.” She countered. Deacon nodded in agreement, head tilting suspiciously.

“I think he really likes her.”

“I say he loves her.”

“Hancock? In love?” The railroad agent scoffed in mock disbelief.

Daisy rolled her eyes at him. Maddie’s attention went to her when she broke the stomach churning happy movie scene. “What can I get ya, beautiful?” She asked with a wink. She smiled so softly leaning over to murmur, “A squirrel on a stick.” She fisted a handful of caps from her pocket, setting them on the counter.

The ghoul frowned in consideration, tilting her head in confusion. “It’s only ten caps…”

Maddie shook her head. “Nah, take ‘em. Seriously.” She ran her fingers through her dark hair to get a better look at her friend. “Please.”

“I can’t, honey.” She slid them back to the human. She was touched, but she didn’t really leave Goodneighbor but every few months to go through the caravans.

“I earned them fair and square, and you do too.” Maddie skidded them back over, cupping her palms over them to keep Daisy from refusing them again. Hancock laughed at her exasperated expression.

She fetched the food she ordered, along with a nuka cola just for the extra caps she forced upon her. “How long are you gonna be in town?” She asked, leaning on her folded arms on top of the platform. Hancock grew serious then, Maddie focused on picking at the food in her hands.

“We’re here for a few days. We got a lead on Maddie’s case.”

“Oh, we heard all about your brush with Kellogg.”

The vaultdweller’s eyes shot up to her the moment she slid a piece of meat in her mouth.

“Did you just go telling everyone my business, or?” She gave John the disapproving look he was used to seeing from her.

Daisy shook her head in defense continuing abruptly, “Nick Valentine came in for one of his rare visits through. He looked a little worried, and for him, that’s saying something. Next thing we know, Hancock is loading up on every ounce of ammo, jet, and mentats he could get his hands on. It looked like he was amping up for some big battle. Took off like a bat out of hell. Deacon filled us in on the rest.”

Maddie stopped chewing for a moment just picturing it. She swallowed roughly through the tightening of her throat. “Well…” She sighed, cracking open the Nuka cola, sliding it over to Daisy.

Hancock’s hands moved from around her waist for his palms to rest on her hips instead. He didn’t say anything, but the squeeze on her body let her know he didn’t need to. He’d been worried, and set out after her without a question.

“We’re just glad you’re still here. There’s been a long line of people waiting to take him down.” She moved back just to swipe a rag along the bar top to clean it - as best as it could get. “And little ol’ you did it without question. I respect that, just be more thoughtful next time. We’re not gonna wanna bury you just yet.” Maddie smiled in response to her and John shuddered inwardly at the thought of it.

Maddie was grinning to herself when she stepped into the statehouse. The triggermen moved from upstairs the moment Hancock entered, giving them privacy no less. “Hey, boss.” Tom chimed.

“What’s up, my man? Keeping this shit hole held down I hope?”

“Of course. Shoot a few bad guys, you know. The usual.”

One of the others winked at her when she passed, “You admiring the clothes, or the one wearing ‘em?”

“Not even close,” She snorted, already zipping down her jumpsuit to expose her bare back as she stepped up the stairs. “This one is happily spoken for. Got a problem, see the big man in red.” She turned to look at them from where she stood in Hancock’s bedroom closing the door just enough to where the onlookers could see her clothes pool at her legs.

John just shook his head in disbelief at her, gawking at her nude figure. He didn’t think he’d ever tire of seeing her like that. Exposed to him, and him alone. Radiating a classical beauty that drew him in without any sort of hesitation. Even with her face covered in dust and grime from their adventures. “You have any clue how good you look there, emperor?”

John’s hands slid up her sides, cupping her breasts in his palms. He leaned down to suckle on one of her erect nipples. Maddie inhaled sharply, sliding his hat off and tossing it on the bed. “Why don’t you tell me?” She responded, sliding his coat off his shoulders. He easily shrugged out of it, kissing up along her chest slowly. “I wanna do show rather than tell. That’s much easier.”

Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his ruffled shirt when their lips met. It was so steady and compassionate instead of the needing and roughness. It was almost always rushed, but now they had the time to drink each other in. Stroking his shirt off of him, she slid her palms up his exposed chest the moment her tongue flicked along his lower lip. He granted her entrance his hands wandering to cup her perky little ass.

“I need to bathe…” She muttered against his open mouth. He undid his pants on his lonesome.

“Why don’t we take one together then, yeah?” He breathed, attacking her lips again. She just moaned in compliance letting him lead into the bathroom. Without breaking their contact he struggled to turn the nozzle of the warm water on. Whether it was from the steam of the bath, or whatever kind of smoke was burning between the two of them, her hair began sticking to her clammy forehead.

The moment was so domesticated and welcoming, his whole presence was. There was no hail of gunfire. No hastening. It was the wandering hands, exploring each other, body and soul. She pulled her lips back just to sink into the water. Never once would she ever take hot water for granted again. All her tense muscles relaxed and she groaned in relief. She held a hand out for him to take. He just shook his head but helped himself in anyways.

He pulled her close against him, leaning back with her curled up right there. “Usually, people ain’t too fond of seeing a naked ghoul in their tub. Let alone at all.” Maddie shook her head caressing his face in her palms. “Shut up, Hancock. You’re fucking gorgeous.” She silenced him with a kiss to keep him from protesting her.

He chuckled into it pulling her so tight against him she’d go breathless. It was so raw, Maddie thought. Hancock was hers and hers alone. “I’ll never get enough of this…” She told him softly.

“Of what exactly?” He asked, drawing the faucet to a stop. It was nothing but the dripping of water and the tinkling of their bodies gliding around.

“You. The feelings you spring up in me… It’s so surreal, to feel this again. I don’t want to lose it this time... “ Hancock watched her eyes, kissing her forehead. “Nah, princess. You got me all to yourself.” He murmured lovingly.

“The moment I thought I lost you, there’s things so much bigger than you and myself. It makes those petty things sort of drift away…” She rested her cheek on his chest, the ends of her hair waving out like an octopus in the water.

“I didn’t like seeing you all broken up like that.” She confessed after a few laps of silence. “You’re Hancock. You’re not indestructible, but damn near it. You’re kind of like a superhero to me. The Silver Shroud,” She mocked in the radio voice that made him erupt in laughter. “But so much better.” She giggled, hugging his middle.

“Between you and I, hotstuff… I’m learning to face my beast, starting to find some peace.” He cupped his hand to drip water down her back. He reached for the unopened bar of soap he kept around just in case. “Just you taking care of Bobbi. I ain't proud of having to put you through that.That sort of dictatorial shit. Ain't usually my style.”

“She tried to dupe us both. Dealing with her was the right move.” She whispered lazily.

“And sure, you and me, we haven't always seen eye-to-eye. But lately, lately things have just felt... right.And running, it's the furthest thing from my mind. I mean, I left Goodneighbor thinking I was gonna just sharpen up the 'ol killer instinct. But whether it's fate or destiny or just god damn coincidence, I ended up with someone like you.”

Hooking a finger under her chin, he tilted it up to stare into those gorgeous eyes he couldn’t get enough of, “I turned one of the nastiest settlements in the Commonwealth into a refuge for the lost. I thought I'd done something I could hang my hat on. But being out here with you, it's made me realize just how small time I'd been thinking.”

He kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, sliding the slippery soap along her dirt ridden body, “And that maybe all my running, from my life, myself... maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all.”

Maddie sat up whispering to him, "You're one hell of a man, Hancock." She kissed both his cheeks with so much adoration, he would be blushing if he were human again. And for once, he didn’t feel the need to argue. He kissed her again and again until her breaths turned to moans. The bath turned into the rustling of blankets beneath their damp bodies. They clung to each other getting lost in the presence of this newfound passion.

Their bodies moved deep and slow in sync to one another. Their lips stayed latched as to swallow each other’s sounds so the guards outside didn’t hear. Her hair tickling every inch of him as he rode her body like mirelurks surfed the currents of the radiated waters outside. Once they were finished, he lay on top of her. He listened to heart savage heartbeat, her fingers stroking over his head slowly. He really felt at peace, and managed to fall asleep before she did.

She was smiling when she felt him relax finally. He was warm enough where she didn’t need a blanket. “I love you, John…” She murmured against his head when she kissed it. She knew he wouldn’t hear her, but it was the fact she knew she could.

Sometime in the night he came around with a startling wake. Maddie was laying on her stomach next to him with a leg hiked up and hugging a pillow. He grinned when he remembered the previous moments that led up to him passing out. He slid the blankets up over her shoulders as to keep her warm, and protect any of the nosey guys from seeing her when he stepped out. He rose up and stretched slipping into some road leathers he had hanging around. He needed to wash his outfit, but he kept his hat on.

Searching the pockets of his overcoat Hancock fished out the cybernetic piece of brain he found on Kellogg’s corpse when he paid it a visit a few days after finding Maddie. The poor corpse was just a practice target now. He nodded to the thugs outside when he dipped into the memory den finding Nick already waiting. “Didn’t expect to see you here, Valentine.” He said nonchalantly finding the detective sitting by the door. His bright eyes searched around him looking for Maddie. “She’s back at home getting some rest. We just blew back in town earlier on.”

The synth nodded saying, “I just got done running down some juice heads. I figured I’d just stop by and seem to have the right timing.”

“You always have. Doctor Amari in?” Hancock popped a few grape flavored mentats just to keep reality at bay for a little. He thought it was best for his girlfriend to get some sleep before turning to a subject that’s still so dark. “Of course.” Nick replied.

The two wordlessly set out downstairs passing the seat the jezebel usually sat in, looking like a retro form of beauty. Hancock reminded himself to find Maddie a fancy little robe like hers. “Memory Den is closed to patients for the time.” The woman in the lab coat spoke with her back turned, peering down a microscope.

“Shame. I was hoping to erase a naked image of Valentine from my head.” John muttered. Nick snorted, “Always the charmer.”

She turned at the sound of the mayor. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize who came in. Hello, Nick. Long time no see. What can I do for you?”

Valentine stepped forward with his hands in his coat pockets. “We need your help, doctor. I need the memories from a man named Kellogg, but he's dead.” Her eyes protruded wide for a moment assessing the words spoken to her, “Kellogg’s dead?” She breathed in disbelief. “But even more so, if he’s dead... “

“I know it's asking for a miracle, Amari, but you've pulled off the impossible before.”

“Are you two mad!?”

“Nah, just me.” Said Hancock.

“Putting aside the fact that you're asking me to defile a corpse, you do realize that the memory simulators require intact, _living_ brains to function?”

“This dead brain had inside knowledge of the Institute, Amari. The biggest scientific secret of the Commonwealth. You need this, and so do we.”

Doctor Amari sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment.

“Fine. I'll take a look, but no guarantees. Do you... have it with you?”

Nick turned to look at Hancock. He didn’t have any memory of him, or Preston, or himself grabbing anything other than Maddie. “Sadly, Doctor Amari, I don’t-”

“Here's... what I could find.” Hancock spoke setting the robotic brain down in her hands. She eyed it with a tired expression heaving out a heavy sigh.

“Those circuits look awfully familiar…” Nick muttered softly, staring at Hancock in unshed question. He wondered when exactly he went back to fetch it, or if he and Maddie had went together. Doctor Amari examined it, “I'm not surprised. From what I've seen, all Institute technology has a similar architecture.”

Hancock was leaning against her operating table, soundlessly breeding over the what-ifs. What if this didn’t work? What if someone even of her genius couldn’t possibly figure out a way to get into this bastard’s brain?

“That's the hippocampus! And this thing attached to it. A neural interface?” Nick was now at her side grinning hopefully. “We’re not gonna be ready to do any of this until Maddie is with us.” John spoke up seriously. Amari turned to look at him gravely speaking, “Well you better be soon. I doubt that brain is being properly preserved. Time is against us.” Hancock hated it, but they’d have to face this first thing in the morning when she woke up.

He was thankful to see her still asleep when he returned. He kicked off his boots and climbed in back next to her. It was then she shuffled about, turning to smile at him when her heavy lids peeled back. “Hello, big daddy…” He loved hearing her husky voice, staring at him with star bright eyes from under those dark curtain of lashes.

“Babygirl.” He greeted, brushing her dark hair behind her ear.

“Go back to sleep, it’s still early yet…” She just shook her head freeing the hair he just ducked away. He grinned, a sadness to it. He didn’t want her to feel any of the pain she had been, to relieve all of the bad shit. He kissed the tip of her nose, but she was quick. “Your smile didn’t touch your eyes. What happened?”

“Hey, hey…” He soothed, drawing his fingers down her back slowly. The tickling helped her eyes grow heavy again, much to his pleasure. “Nothing. Sleep, beautiful…” He kissed her eyelids slowly, then her tired full lips. He loved how they always pouted out when her face was smushed on a pillow. The way her hair would always be a mess from all the tossing and turning. She hummed in reply and silence followed.

He was almost back asleep himself when he heard her say, “Don’t think I’m not gonna bring this up in the morning, Johnny.” He chuckled and pet her head. “In the morning my little spitfire, in the morning…”

The morning came much faster - and so did she. By the time he awoke with the most splitting headache he awoke to find her sitting fully dressed in one of his too big tshirts and pants. Her long hair was evenly brushed and hung down near her waist. Those eyes were so fucking gracious he didn’t mind falling to his demise at the hands of them. “Good morning, Johnny boy.” Her tone was nice - far too nice. The kind of buttery sweet like the icing you’d eat until your stomach hurt.

He sat up and found her eyes holding that fire of fury. Shit. “Well, ain’t ya a sight for sore eyes? You ever find that Brahmin that stepped on my head?”

“I don’t know where your head was at last night. You went to Doctor Amari without me.”

“I had to see if it would work. Plus, Mads, you needed to rest. You hadn’t slept in days. I didn’t want to rush into it, so just take it easy on grilling me first thing in the morning.” He walked over to where she sat on the desk, she place a foot on his middle to keep him a good length’s away.

Hancock groaned irritably and rubbed his temples. “You have no reason to be angry. We know it’ll work, we just go in there and-”

“I don’t want to fucking go!” She yelled suddenly. She swung herself right up in front of him. “Did you think maybe I wasn’t ready?”

“We’re on borrowed time! There’s no telling how well we could preserve it, and if we keep waiting-”

“Shut up!” She gritted out when she clenched her teeth. “You don’t get to make my decisions for me! Isn’t this the whole point of Goodneighbor? To leave people to their own devices? To make their own choices for themselves?”

“This isn’t the same thing, stop running from possibilities. Haven’t you learned enough from me?”

Truth be told she wasn’t angry with Hancock, she wasn’t exactly mad at all. There was a whirlwind of emotions coming to the surface and she didn’t know how to handle it. Mentally unhinged at best. She just walked away stamping her feet all along the way. He just sighed and inhaled jet as fast as he could. He’d definitely need it today if this was just the beginning of the day.

Nick was the most welcoming presence to have here at the moment. She ran up and clung to him much to his surprise. The heaviness in the room wasn’t missed and the grip of her arms meant she needed it just as much. He rested his chin on her head breathing, “You ready, kid?” She shook her head quickly.

She felt like a child in her grandfather’s embrace the moment they just got scolded for breaking something. Hancock sat on the sofa actually quiet for once, just examining. Maddie pulled away wiping some of the wetness that came to her eyes, looking at Doctor Amari. “Mister Valentine is an older generation synth. But, Institute technology being what it is... The brain implant could fit him. But that's... an incredible risk to take. We're talking about wiring something to his brain.”

Panic struck and immediately the hysteric mother protested, “Nick, no!”

“Don't worry about me, Amari. I'm well past the warranty date, anyway.” But he looked at Maddie as he spoke.

“Whenever you're ready, Mister Valentine. Just sit down.”

He did as he was asked, Amari getting to work instantly.

Dread was a fucking lead weight inside of Maddie right now. She was aware of Hancock slipping jet into her hand, curling her fingers around it. She glanced up at him, but he wasn’t paying her any mind. No doubt a little upset about her blow up this morning. “Just a little something to take the edge off.”

She shook her head, not wanting to fuck up this procedure just yet. She tucked it into her pocket, reaching out to take his hand. Hers were trembling in pure anxiety, he couldn’t once blame her. He pulled her close kissing the top of her head, hoping to soothe her even just that little bit.

“I need you to keep talking to me, Mister Valentine. Any slight change in your cognitive functions could be dire.”

“If I start cackling like an old, grizzled mercenary, pull me out, okay?”

Maddie nodded.

“There's a lot of... flashes... static... I can't make sense of any of it, doc.” Valentine gasped exasperatedly, robotic hand twitching.

“Let me think... The encryption is too strong for a single mind. But... what if we used two?”

“Tell me you have a way past this, doctor.” Maddie pleaded with an uncharacteristic whimper to her voice.

“We load both you and Mister Valentine into the memory loungers. Run your cognitive functions in parallel.”

Hancock didn’t like the sound of it at all, but it was too late to retreat and play bitch now. “We don’t have much of a choice.” Maddie voiced his concerns. “You’re gonna be alright, Mads…” Hancock whispered in her ear, pulling her close by the hip now.

“Is Nick going to be okay?” She asked with her brows yanked together and a crease forming between them.

Amari was patient, sensing the poor woman’s fear like her own now. “Yes, the connections appear to be stable. Hopefully, it'll be as simple as unplugging the implant once we're done.”

“All right. Let's get started.” Maddie demanded, slipping out of the ghoul’s hold. Just sit down over there. And... keep your fingers crossed.”

She made her way to the memory lounger. Hancock caught her before she could slip down into it to start the process. “I’m sorry…” He told her. “I am too.” She confessed. They stared at each other and the dire trepidation dripping from the steady gaze he held made her feel like she was gonna go into some form of brain dead. That was a possibility, of course. This was a miracle.

She lay back in the memory lounger with the top coming down until Hancock stopped it a moment and kissed her a final time. “I love you.” He said quickly, lowering the lid down before she could reply. Within seconds of staring at the monitor she slipped into a heavy blackness.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had hella muse here recently so I updated with three chapters for you guys today and I hope to God you're enjoying it as much as I am writing it!

She was floating at first, a vast sea of endless black. “Remember, you are experiencing these memories as Kellogg. This may prove disorienting at first.” Hearing Doctor Amari’s voice was a comfort that she wasn’t exactly dead yet. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She felt panic rising up in her for a moment until the stark pastel purple broke out in front of her. Fading into appearance weblike straws unrolled with each perplexing step she took. The idea that she could technically fall into vast openness made her nervous, but she had a feeling she’d end up back on the boulevard of memories.

She entered a scene of a young boy with a radio and comics, a woman sitting next to him. “Is… That Kellogg?” She asked, knowing she’d not get an answer nor would she be heard. Walking over, she reached out to touch the bed frame. Her hand dipped right through it. Something about this made her uneasy recalling he had been a young kid. He was, under all the evil, human.

“Mom knew how it was. She wasn't soft but she loved me in her way.” Kellogg’s regretful voice full of emotion broke through. Hearing his voice made her stomach crumble to her feet. “And she protected me from Dad. That cost her more than a few beatings. I never knew what happened to her after I left. I didn't want to know. Not then. I was such a dummy back then. What did I know about how the world worked?”

Maddie walked over to the woman sitting in the chair, handing the infamous pistol over to him. Now come to think of it, she was sure Hancock had it in one of his holsters on his hip… So this is the big tough Kellogg. This is where he got his start.

“I think now she wanted me to kill him. I should have. Instead I ended up running away. I told myself I wanted to find somewhere out from under the thumb of the NCR and all their rules. But really, I was running from the guilt of not protecting her from Dad. Doesn't matter now, though.”

It was so familiar it made her sick. To compare Hancock to him seemed unbearable, but this was something she could understand now. Get behind the reasoning for what he’s done.

“There appears to be another intact memory close to you in temporal sequence... there. Try that one.” Turning her head to the right, Maddie followed the ominous string.

The new scene was Kellogg in a kitchen with a woman and a child still in the crib. Her heart snapped in half and she wanted to scream - to run out. She was sympathizing with a man who’d killed her husband and stolen her baby.

“Whatever made me think a guy like me should have a daughter... I never deserved her. Not for one second.” He narrated. With shaking legs she stepped forward and leaned over to inspect the innocent child. Even though she knew the baby was staring right through her, those eyes were so bright. So perfect.

“The thing about happiness is that you only know you had it when it's gone.I mean, you may think to yourself that you're happy. But you don't really believe it. You focus on the petty bullshit, or the next job, or whatever. It's only looking back, by comparison with what comes after, that you really understand that's what happiness felt like.”

Turning on her heel she faced the woman.

“Sarah. I was the worst thing that ever happened to her. If she'd never met me, she'd have stayed in the Hub, maybe hooked up with someone who didn't kill people for a living. Probably been happier than she was with me. Almost certainly lived longer.”

She watched him kiss her so sweetly, the baby crying in the background. Sarah, his wife, move to grab her when he placed a tender hand on hers. “Don’t, I got her…”

The scene faded and Maddie could feel the tears rolling down her face. She wanted to get out of here already, but who knew what kind of shit would fuck up if she tapped out now.

“Let's keep looking... I'll connect you to the next intact memory.” Amari spoke, and like clockwork, she moved again.

Outside of the loungers Hancock stood next to Amari statue still, just watching the screen. He looked back and forth between Maddie and Valentine, noting the hot tears rolling down her frozen cheeks. Seeing her cry was one of the worst things to him. He’d rather shoot himself over and over than see it. Amari took note and jotted it down in her notebook, going to check on Nick.

John couldn’t imagine the trip this must be. The ultimate sort of high. Still, he knew Maddie would need something to lighten up the mood once she came to. Scenes projected like a fucked up movie, the darker it got, the faster Maddie’s heartbeat sped up. “We’re gonna have to pull her out.” Amari realized, looking at Hancock. His arms were folded across his chest, leaning against the counter.

His expression was guarded as ever, hat tipped low to hide whatever sort of darkness that’d crept up. He tilted it up just to look at her solemnly, “She’s fine.” Hancock said matter of factly. “She’s experiencing life from someone else’s view. In someone else’s gray matter. I know her well enough, the moment she becomes unresponsive or starts seizing, I’ll yank her out myself.” Amari noted the brutal growl creeping up beneath the velvet purr and just nodded. She wouldn’t dare question him, not when it came to her.

No matter how much medical background she had.

“We're running out of brain here... uh... ah, there's one that looks mostly intact. Connecting now.”

Maddie looked up ahead and froze. She was back in the vault - but from Kellogg’s view. She saw herself, the neighbors that made it. Inside the cryopods, banging on them to get out. She ran over to see herself. The utter anxiety in her face, reading her lips begging and pleading for help.

“The eggheads never liked taking orders from a dirty contaminated degenerate like me.” Conrad muttered when she turned to look at one of the institute scientists standing before the terminal controlling all of it. “But they needed me, and I made sure they knew it. I never knew why we didn't just refreeze the rest of them, but we had our orders. I guess the old man didn't want so many loose ends.”

She whipped around in time to hear the familiar yelling of Nate. “Stop!” She yelled soundlessly, trying to pry their arms away. Lost in the memory, her arms fell through it. It was so much worse this time because he was staring at her - Nate was. Helpless, scared. Kellogg shot right through him and for the second time, she watched him die. The light leaving his eyes like someone just flipped off a switch.

“Too bad he left alive the one person he shouldn't have. If she could take me out, they won't be able to hide from her for long.” There was a subtle tone of admiration for her. Then it hit her.

He left her alive too, again. He wanted to die, he knew he reached his end. He wanted the institute gone as much as the rest. He knew what she was capable of.

“I'm, uh.... I'm sorry you had to go through that again…” Amari’s voice broke through softly. “I've found another intact memory. Whenever you're ready.”

Hancock felt his heart shatter watching the rapid way she moved on the screen. She lay still with only her quick breathing and sobs being the only form of movement from her. He felt terrible for both of them stuck inside this experiment, really. Nick wouldn’t ever be the same after this. Something about some mnemonic impressions or something. They owed him so much for this.

“ Is that... your son? This appears to be a very recent memory, so... good news, I think.” The doctor’s voice broke him free of his reverie. He looked back to the monitor and felt something in his throat climax. He kept clearing it, hoping it’d just stop choking him out. A little boy no older than ten years old sat in the middle of the room with a comic while Kellogg cleaned his pistol.

He looked so much like his mother from what he could. Her beautiful high cheeks, her dark hair. When he looked up Hancock felt himself growing… Fond? He had her eyes too. If they found him alive… He’d be his son too. There was an intense determination throwing itself out of him now, to fight just as hard as Maddie is to get to him. To give him a damn good life with him, and Maddie. No brotherhood, no institute. The minutemen protecting the very generosity of the commonwealth.

“Teleportation. Now it all makes sense. Nobody's found the entrance to the Institute because there is no entrance. Let me pull you out of there. As soon as you're ready…”

Nick was the first come out. John aided the doctor in pulling him out and met his eyes - but even in the familiar bright synth eyes, he couldn’t see Nick. They were much colder, and that smirk didn’t belong to him at all. That was all Kellogg. Hancock took a step back, the two never breaking contact as Nick left the room. He shuddered and ran to Maddie, throwing the door open with haste.

She lay there for a moment, Amari injecting her with a super stimpak. “Just in case.” She warned seeing the alarm stretch across Hancock’s face. When she stirred, he sighed. He helped her up, keeping a steadying hold on her side. “Easy now… I don’t know the effects it has. I gave you a super ‘pak just to be safe…” Maddie looked at her, then back down. She didn’t want to look anyone in the eyes right now. “There’s… A burning in my skull…”

Her voice was so distant and soft, Hancock was terrified she’d be stuck in this eternal hell for a little. “I don't often say this... but I hope heaven is looking out for you. Now as far as getting into there-”

“I think that’s enough for now.” Hancock snapped lightly. “I’ll be back later to discuss the rest of our plans and how to get into there, but…” His eyes drifted down to Maddie and she silently nodded in agreement. She touched her face and nodded to Hancock.

“Where’s Nick?” She asked, keeping her eyes down on her feet.

“Upstairs, he’s… He was the first one to come out. He’s kind of out of it.”

Maddie was worried to the fullest extent. Nick just stuck his full neck on the line for her, knowing there’s a chance he’d never have life without Kellogg there in the very back of his head. When she spotted him sitting on a sofa, she jogged right over and threw her arms around his neck. “Nick I-”

“Hope you got what you were looking for inside my head. Heh. I was right. I should’ve killed you while you were on ice.” Kellogg’s voice broke through. Hancock acted quick to restrain her the moment she ran right for Nick’s throat. She thrashed and thrashed like a savage deathclaw. Nick blinked a few times in confusion. “You wanna go for round two? Let’s fucking go!”

“What? What are you talking about?” Nick asked, fully aware of himself again.

Maddie’s knees grew weak and she turned to hide herself in Hancock’s chest with the most pitiful wail he’d ever heard from her. “You sounded like Kellogg.” She muffled from broken sobs hidden in his leather outfit. “Doctor Amari said there’d be some mnemonic impressions left over, but I feel fine. So let’s get going.” He stood up and looked at Hancock sympathetically. Maddie didn’t want to be around anyone, let alone anything. Just dug herself deeper, her trembling form nearly knocking his high ass over.

Nick seemed to understand and said, “You know where to find me.”

John picked her up bridal style carrying her out of the memory den. She kept her face hidden in his arm so none of the drifters or residents could pick up on just exactly what happened. She caught the familiar whiff of Daisy’s perfume, and she knew she was close. Hancock shook his head with a forlorn frown carrying her inside without another word. “Maddie... “ He whispered when they were finally alone in the privacy of his room.

She scrambled right out of his arms and ducked under the velvet red blankets. Her sobs broke out again, and he breathed out a heavy sigh. Swallowing the lump there in his throat he puffed on jet again just to give him a calm, because face it, he didn’t handle these sorts of things well. He slid in behind her to tuck her up in a ball under his chin and against his chest. “Maddie, I’m sorry…”

“He was human!” She whimpered in full body shakes. “He h-had a wife and baby!” He let her erupt like a volcano, smack him, punch him, damn near bloody him up in her fits of rage and despair. He just let her have at it. She couldn’t deal with any of this, she couldn’t just stay and feel sorry for herself. But she wasn’t strong enough for this. “Whatever you do,” John said solemnly, “don’t run. Don’t run from me. I’m here to help you. You hear me?”

She looked up at him then with narrowed eyes. Little by little she remembered his words. “... Do you love me? D-did you say it?” There was only silence with her shuddered breathing. “I… Maddie, yeah. I said it. And… I mean it. You, you’re the best thing I’ve got…” She hid her face again crying the most she had since she escaped that godforsaken place. “Let me be a part of your narrative,” Hancock begged softly. “You decide to stay, that would be enough… We got plenty of caps, of friends. Family.”

Maddie shuddered fully trying to calm her tremors. “Just stay alive, that would be enough. And Shaun… If he’s anything like you, when we find him.” He chuckled softly, kissing her forehead softly. “Good God, look out. With your brain, your wit…” Maddie mustered a smile at that.

Cupping her cheek, he brushed his thumb under his eyes. He wasn’t sure about being a dad just yet, but being alive with the two of them… That would be enough for him. Reaching into the coat hanging up on the coat rack to dry, he fisted two jet inhalers. She froze for a minute when she stared at it, taking it slowly. “You won’t get addicted from one round.” He assured her, kissing between her eyebrows. “I promise, princess.”

She puffed on it again and again. Everything slowed down, all her problems long forgotten just enough for her exhaustion to set in. All the while, Hancock held her close threading his fingers through her hair and stroking it back. She was asleep within no time, but he knew her well enough to know that calm wouldn’t last.

Her night terrors would creep up on her, for the next few days she’d be one hell of a goddamn monster to handle. Breathing out a heavy sigh he moved her just enough for him to reach over for the book he caught her reading back when she first stayed with him. Romeo and Juliet. Taking in a slow deep breath he peeled back the cover and recited, “Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.”

For the rest of the night he read to her, and for the remainder of the evening she slept while he kept watch.

The morning sun just about licked the curtains when a knock came to his bedroom door. Maddie was laying asleep on his chest, a protective arm draped around him. “Come in.” He called, sitting up enough for her to fit in his lap. He was surprised to see Preston walking in. He caught sight of her asleep and he chuckled a little, “Why is it everytime I come across her, she’s either passed out or sleeping?”

“Mostly because Napoleon, she had a pretty rough night.” He responded, brushing his fingers through her scalp. “I’m guessing you’re here to either assign her to some sort of colony or?”

Preston shrugged saying softly, “I got some of my men to take care of the settlements. I stopped by Diamond City thinking she was there. Nick sent me this way.”

“Well, that’s the most ballsy thing I’ve ever see you do in a while.”

“She is a friend to me.” Preston clarified, standing with his musket at hip level.

“I get it, Garvey. She’s okay.” He caught the minuteman’s eyes on the jet inhaler sitting by her pillow, eyeballing him suspiciously. He really didn’t have to explain shit to him, if he had to be honest. Not that the poor girl didn’t deserve it after all she’d encountered. “I worry.” Was all he said.

There was an overwhelming uncomfortable silence with only the quiet purrs of Maddie’s snoring. “Well… We caught wind of some suspicious activity over at Boston Airport. My men encountered some people - the Brotherhood of Steel. I suspect you’ve heard of them.”

Hancock scowled with a dejected roll of his dark eyes. “Yeah, trust me I’ve been made fully aware of them. Maddie helped out some recon team not too long ago.”

“I have reasons to suspect they’re getting ready to infiltrate a few of our settlements. The commonwealth, better put.”

“I don’t know your stance on their beliefs, Garvey. If it’s anything against people like me, or synths, or super mutants, I don’t give any bit of a shit to hear it. You share any of their beliefs, you might as well see yourself right out of here.”

“No, no, Mayor. None whatsoever. I believe the freedom of all beings, of people. There’s gonna be no good to come of them. And… If it comes down to it, between the three factions, I hope I have your support. Meaning your city’s. We’ll protect Goodneighbor just as much as we’d protect anyone else.”

Hancock just nodded. “Got yourself a deal, Garvey.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just have to get sappy real quick and say I’m so so lucky to have a lot of you guys taking pleasure in this work of mine. It’s been a while since I’ve joined a fandom and I can genuinely say I’ve had the most fun writing this and exploring all these possibilities. Hancock and Maddie are probably the greatest muses to have, and all of you guys make it worth while.
> 
> Thank you guys for getting this as many kudos, and views, and even a few stoic suggestions here and there. I hope to continue this series in little one shots and maybe even dive deeper into what you guys prefer and whatnot. Enjoy this chapter with much love from me

Maddie decided for herself, it was best to busy herself with the work for the minutemen to distract herself from the memories she’d inhaled. Hancock hadn’t been happy at all when she decided to go with Preston, without him. “I’ll be back before you know it.” She’d been distant from him and of course it worried him. She was bent over collecting a few simple aid things into the rucksack she made. “Maddie, I don’t want you running off on me.” He laughed dryly.

“Just in case you haven’t noticed, you haven’t been acting like yourself.”

“I am the general of the minutemen.” She reminded him, throwing one strap over her shoulder. She bit the words out like it was ammo aimed right at him. He narrowed his eyes at her, head tilting with the most humorless smile. “Trust me, princess I haven’t fuckin’ forgot.”

“I don’t know why you’re getting your panties in a bunch. I’ve had so much going on I just… Need time by myself.” She finished quietly. Hancock tried holding her eye contact to truly read her. He gripped her chin to turn it to see her and she slapped his hand away. It was a strike of a viper and her eyes were the darkest honey brown he’d ever seen.

They spent their time glaring at each other.

“Get out.” His words were low, deliberate. Enunciating each syllable with every ounce of hurt and fury. He expected her to look shocked, bothered, something other than angry. She just adjusted her armor and left without another word. He flinched when the door slammed shut and he was vacant with his own devices. She wants to be pissy? Fine.

But that was days ago. She hadn’t even come close to Goodneighbor. He asked Daisy everyday, and even she’d find him and inform him just to save him the trouble. So, he tried busying himself up with paperwork, helping with caravans. Some sort of distraction. Currently, he sat at his desk watching the ceiling fan spin round… and round… and round… He hit off the jet again, observing the blades cutting the air in slow motion.

Daisy waltzed in, snapping her fingers before his face. “John!” She barked. It took him a good two minutes it seemed for him to finally register, that hey, someone was speaking to him. “Wassup?” He greeted, tipping back in his chair with his boots on the table.

“Maddie’s been spotted, but listen…” Her tone took a low turn. He lowered himself on all fours breathing out a hard groan. “Anytime she leaves she finds some sort of fucking trouble to get into.” He replied with a scowl. “So, what is it this go round?”

Daisy glanced from side to side to the triggerman. John took her sign and ordered them out. “Shut the door behind ya. VIP business, ya dig boys?”

“She’s been palling around with a big metal brotherhood soldier. I don’t know what she’s up to, Hancock, but do you know what this means if she suddenly sides with them?” Hancock jetted up so fast his high swiveled. The chair he was perched on slammed back on the wall behind him, He leaned up on the wooden desktop glancing down at it. “It comes down the wire, Daisy…” He began slowly. “She becomes an enemy to us. To this town. Minutemen will not be allowed to reside, neither will Brotherhood and we will attack on sight. Brotherhood of any kind are not allowed here. She will be no exception.”

He cut his eyes up at her and she jumped back at how truly demonic they were. “You love her, John. Don’t go exiling her just yet - she’s not stupid. She’s not some Diamond City bigot.” Turning to look out of the window over Goodneighbor he folded his hands behind his back. “She’s got some plan, John. I know you’re hurting from whatever argument you had-”

“She knows how I fucking feel about the brotherhood. How all of us do. She can’t turn her back on the minutemen, on us, on me.” The last bit slipped out and he gritted his teeth angrily, grabbing a nearby whiskey bottle and chucking it at the wall with a brute force he was known so well for. “Let her step through these gates, Daisy.” He glared pointedly at her to emphasize his words. “You report to me immediately. She is not allowed to do shit until she faces me. Dictatorship style.”

Later on that night, he was sitting in a familiar bar stool listening to Magnolia singing the same ol’ jazz. He wasn’t paying any mind to the lyrics for once, not exactly wanting to feel the sadness he’d been running from. He pondered over the reason why Maddie would even go thinking it was even remotely okay to put her faith in some makeshift military tin man who only cared of their fancy technology.

They were xenophobic at best and wanted nothing more than to say jump, and for the commonwealth to say how high. He didn’t want to doubt her, but taking orders, that was never her. She was the kind of “shoot and ask questions later” kind of woman. “Pour me another one, Chuck.” He instructed, setting his glass down. The piano came to an end and he felt familiar fingers walking along his shoulders before Magnolia placed herself next to him.

“Drowning your sorrows again, Hancock?” She purred, leaning her pretty face on her knuckles, elbow braced on that bar top. “Nah, never, Mags. Just a man enjoying the proud city that’s Goodneighbor.” He looked back at her tilting his hat up. She chuckled softly and sipped the water she was nursing. “That pretty dame of yours is up to something…” She informed him. Cocking up a bare eyebrow he asked, “And what do you know of it?”

Her eyes drifted right over his head saying, “Well. She just walked in alone. Without her little toy soldier.” He turned as fast as he could in that stool. Maddie was graceful as ever, like she was purposely making an entrance. Her outfit changed now, wearing the tightest leather crop top and matching pants. Her dark hair was yanked back in a ponytail exposing those sharp features, combat boots clanking down with each step. She found his eye almost immediately.

It was a fearless move on her part. She broke it away and disappeared into the VIP room. “I’ll be back.” He excused himself. He threw the door shut behind him, locking it. The pop of the deadbolt fired like a gunshot in an empty room, even with the muffled music in the background. She stood with her arms crossed for a moment. She shrugged off her sack and tossed it aside, cocking up her eyebrow at him. She expected to be yelled at, for him to come guns blazing at her.

He walked over with that cool guy saunter circling her - making sure there wasn’t any extra nicks or cuts in her. She stood taunt, like a fragile gazelle in the eyes of a cheetah. Checking her out for sport - to eat her up the moment he had a chance. Her upper lip was busted now that he could see it, and her right arm was bandaged up at the bicep. She swallowed the nerves speaking shakily, “I’m guessing you’ve heard the rumors.” Her voice was so much bolder than he would have liked it to be.

He saw her throat tighten when she swallowed, her breath leaving in a shaky exhale. “You gonna deny them, princess?” He asked, standing in front of her again. “Or you gonna tell me just how fucking amazing this little group you’ve inherited is? I thought you were going off with Preston, not fucking turning your back on him - on them!”

She shot him a look demanding, “Who the fuck are you talking to, Hancock?”

“I’m talking to the general of the Minutemen, remember? Or that’s who I thought you were until you suddenly went rogue and turned to the Brotherhood of Steel. Of all fucking people. The hell is wrong with you, Mads?” She shoved him back her teeth gritted. “How fucking dare you accuse me of treason. I was hoping you of all people would have more fucking faith in me.”

“I did until you lied to me.” He snapped. She stalked over and struck him across the face as hard as she could. He stared at her in both awe and bewilderment that she had the guts to actually slap him. He’d deserved it, no doubt. He parted his thin lips to tell her so when she launched herself at him like a bottle rocket, legs like vices around his waist, kissing with nothing but teeth, tongue, and lips. Their groans were happily drowned out by the ruckus music outside. He lowered her down but just gently enough to not break her back. He ripped the zipper of her pants down with his teeth somehow forcing the leather off her sticky legs.

She parted her legs like the red sea and he dove into her need, licking and sucking her sensitive clit. She choked out a gasp tossing his hat somewhere to get a good hold of his head. “Fuck!” She gritted out, mouth falling agape when he flicked that tongue in that right little position. He followed her body when her hips bucked, thighs tightened and quaked. Her nails dug into his neck only further encouraging him.

He moaned into her dripping warmth thrusting his tongue in and out of her until her back arched and she came over it. He flipped her right over forcing her onto her knees. He freed his rock hard length from his trousers rubbing his swollen head along her warmth. “Please, daddy,” She whimpered breathlessly. Her cheek was pressed down on the concrete, hips rolling against him. “I’ve waited long enough, don’t be a bitch now.”

He obeyed and fucked her without abandon. All the outrage powering each slam into her. Maddie thought she was gonna snap in half and by fuck did it feel just that much better. She was wheezing out moans when she yanked off his cock with the most sinful wet suction he’d felt in forever. She shoved him back and straddled his hips, leaning back on his knees for support.

She rode him like a bull, placing her hands on his chest. Maddie scratched her nails down his back gasping for breath with each brutal pound. He threw his arms around her pinning her down on top of him, slamming up into her with such a brutal pace. “Who the fuck do you belong to?” He hissed in her ear, biting her earlobe.

“You!” She keened, bowing her head feeling her orgasm rocking over her. He felt her tighten around his cock and he knew he was gonna blow his load sooner than later. He gripped her throat smashing their lips together. She hadn’t felt this good in fucking forever. She wanted to move back against him, to buck, show him what he did to her. The whole room was shaking at this point. Hancock grunted in warning before he slammed up into her one final time, impaling her as he filled her with his seed.

The two just lay there in the afterglow. Maddie’s body was covered in sweat, ponytail falling halfway down her back with her bangs sticking to her face. She shakily lifted off his length but he held her there when she tried to get up. Looking to him, she saw the anguish he tried to hide. Both of them breathing hard she collected his face and kissed him again, and again, and again.

Now that her adrenaline was gone she could taste the grape mentats and cheap whiskey on his tongue. “John…” She breathed in disappointment, knowing this is how he spent his days without her. He looked at her and slowly slid her off of him, not bothering to clean the mess they made when he started to dress again. He didn’t look at her when he tucked in his shirt to his trousers.

“Hancock, don’t do this to me right now.” She begged, grabbing his hand in two of hers. He inhaled sharply, hating how his heart skipped a beat at her urgent touch. She tugged just enough to grasp his divided attention back over his shoulder at her. She had her pretty little panties on along with the leather top, but that was it. Her long hair was still falling down around her waist. She was the epitome of what desperation looked like. And so fucking beautifully wrecked. “I need you to listen to me. Please. Trust me.” He walked past her without a word to slide his hat on that had been discarded in their rendezvous. 

“You wanna talk? You come meet me in my room. Later on.” He peeled open the door and shut it behind him, leaving her standing alone to dress herself and feel the emptiness he left behind.

MacCready looked knowingly when Hancock passed him. He flipped him off and the mercenary just lifted a beer to him before chugging it back. He didn’t say anything when Maddie came out a little while later with sweat tapering her baby hairs to her forehead, skin flushed. 

She adjusted herself accordingly, but didn’t say anything when she sat down in the chair beside him. Joseph wordlessly passed her over a beer. She took solace in their comradeship, he didn’t press. Even when her eyes glazed over with an emotion he couldn’t read. There was a comfortable silence, besides the murmurs of drifters, and the smooth jazz around them. 

Magnolia watched her close, singing every dreadfully morose lyric like it was written just for her. And maybe, for once the two could agree on something. Maddie looked her way and the eye contact that used to piss her off only drained any anger from the singer. The vault dwellers looked strained and tired and even now just a little anxious. That was something she could very well acquaint to. 

She rested her head on MacCready’s shoulder hiding her face in it. Breathing out a sigh, he just drew her close letting her escape for even a minute.

Maddie licked along her lips tasting Hancock’s breath against them as much as she hated it. His bedroom door creaked open when she stepped in and he was puffing on jet, per usual, while reading sitting up against the armrest of the couch. He flicked his eyes up at her.

She leaned back against the door when it closed breaking the distance between the two of them. She sat with her pretty legs crossed in his lap. Her voice was much more gentler now, husky still, but soft, “You still willing to talk to me?”

“Depends on what you’re gonna tell me, Maddie.” He set his book down, reaching a hand up to stroke along her bandage. His voice was dark - rough. It wasn’t welcoming. “I don’t share the ideals with the brotherhood, you know this, but I need their weaponry. I need their trust. Just so I know their plans for this place. But, Danse is a friend. The brotherhood is all he’s known, so of course he’s gonna defend them. I wanna change their way of thinking. Their purpose. Nick isn’t happy with it, and Preston is still giving me the silent treatment.”

Hancock scoffed, shaking his head. “Please, John,” She cupped his cheek turning it back at him. “Understand I’m not gonna help them take power. Their elder, Maxson, they wanna cleanse the commonwealth. They came here, they’re bulked up on tons and tons and tons of nuclear warheads.” The information perked his interests now. “They’re arming up to take down the institute.”

“They _are_ gonna be the new institute if that happens.” His tone didn’t defy the hateful way he spit the name out like venom. “Don’t tell me you’re really gonna lead them into our kind of fun.”

“No, John,” Maddie sighed exasperatedly, “Fuckin listen would you? Warheads. Nuclear. They’re gearing up for something fucking… _huge_. Bigger than the Prydwen, bigger than any weapon _we_  ," She emphasized, "as the commonwealth could even think of accumulating. I have our safety in my hands. I have to make difficult decisions on top of finding my son, and finding some way to take this power down. I want this to be a safe place for him to be, Hancock-”

He got up with his hands behind his back turning it against her for the second time tonight. The rejection hurt just as much as before. “Understand this, Madeleine,” He began in his gruff growl. His dark eye sockets appeared like soulless shadows as he stared out of the window to his town. “That's why me and mine gotta stay extra-special close to one another. Any slight change might be a clue that someone's been replaced. They’re as much family as I’m ever gonna have, but if you,”

He turned to look at her with the most darkest expression pointed entirely at her, “You ever think of bringing any fucking tin man soldiers near here, they won’t even make it to the gate, ya dig, sister?” She glared at him, forgetting in that moment they were lovers. Had been. Were they? She flicked her gaze on his eyes, searching them for… For something. Not this pokerface.

He seemed to soften some when he saw that there wasn’t any true resentment left in her face. The two were separated on two islands with his pride being the rip current that would yank them both under if they tried treading it. “Are… We finished here?” She asked in a tight, but the question had an underlining definition to it. Her eyes were glassy and he knew that meant the waterworks weren’t too far from it.

Were they? He finally just told her he loved her - saw her in her most vulnerable, walked in her shoes. Could he easily just say yes? Just because she had to get her hands dirty to get to Shaun? “I…” He started. She had so much bad happening to her, would he really want to do that to her, too?

Could he even find a reason without her?

He’d worry if she left. If he told her yes, she’d be on her way.

Staring at her, he saw a flash of an empty room. Days down the line, him splayed out on the floor dosed up on who-knows-what while she was out living life. Without him. He’d spend his days wondering where she was and who was loving her now. Who was at her side pridefully flanking her side through this treacherous little wasteland they called home.

_She loves you, stupid._

They shared a knowing glance as if she could actually read his mind. He extinguished his hot headed temper sighing out the breath he wasn’t even aware he’d been holding. He took her hand pulling her close by it, and softly kissed her head. Maddie wanted to laugh, because goddamn, they got in arguments over the most stupidest shit.

“I’d never put you in harm’s way on purpose…” She whispered.

“Is that with or without the raiders and super mutants and gunners and ferals or?”

“You know what I meant.”

“I’m convinced trouble doesn’t even follow you, you create it.”

“Sometimes.”

He tucked her head under his chin when she hugged him close. “So…” She mumbled. Hancock toyed with her hair feeling the knots in it from earlier. He smirked knowing she couldn’t see it.

“What exactly did you and this Paladin get into?” He asked.

Maddie knew that question was coming, and given his title as her lover and best friend, well. She wasn’t gonna hide her knowledge. She swung herself onto the edge of the bed flopping her fingers together in her lap. It was almost childlike the way she swung her legs with her feet hovering almost a feet off the ground. “Wanna exchange pleasantries?” She asked, and he knew with the way her lips curled up into a crooked smirk, there was a bargain coming.

“You tell me what Doctor Amari told you about getting into the Institute.”

“The Glowing Sea. A place where soft skinneded you, doesn’t need to be stepping in without a hazmat suit.” Hancock countered, bringing down one of the Atlas Fahrenheit created back when she became his second in command. There was a sort of longing when he set sights on it. His fingers dusted over the dusty pages feeling the lines of caravan passageways she indented with a pen.

Maddie really had felt bad about killing her, having not knowing a damn thing she did now. “The glowing sea is probably one of the most dangerous parts of the commonwealth.” He continued as if he didn’t just somberly recall his best friend through the town they helped build in unison. “Not just from radiation, but it got some of the blasts pretty bad. Deathclaws, ghouls, and even these super fuckin’ weird Children of Atom weirdos who protect a crater made by one of the bombs.”

“They worship the nuclear bombs?” Maddie gasped, staring in wide eyed disbelief. She rolled a backwards somersault into the fluff of pillows, sitting back up at the waist. “Are they… Ghouls? How do they survive out there?”

“Hell if I know. I’ve only been there on… Business calls.” Hancock finished.

“You mean dumping bodies?”

“You got any proof?”

He had a point. She shrugged, going back onto the full topic they were originally discussing. “What is in the Glowing Sea besides smog and destruction?” She asked. Hancock crossed the threshold to sit next to her, setting the map on the bed,

“It’s not a what but a who.” He clarified. “Doctor Virgil. Some escaped scientist the institute has a bounty out for. He’d be the only one to help us figure out how to get into that place.”

“How do you think he survived? If he even did?”

The ghoul stared at her nonchalantly.

“Right, right…” She muttered.

“Worse comes to worse, he’s dead, or a feral. Just about as good as the ladder in that case.” Hancock rose to his feet sliding the book back in its place.

“Well let’s hope he’s just some ghoul with a brain left.”

His shoulders thunked against the wall shuffling his ankles crossed on the other side of the room. “Now, you and this little tin man gorilla of yours.” He recounted with a voice as even as an equal plain. Maddie rolled her eyes at the nickname but disclosed what she’d learned anyways.

“Elder Maxson is who’s leading them. Never stepped foot on this land as far as I, and anyone else knows. I’m certain you have an idea why.” Hancock just snorted. “And?” He pressed.

Maddie puffed out her cheeks brushing her long hair with her fingers as a distraction. “We went to that little island not too far from where they’re station at Boston and found an armory full of unused weapons, prewar. Seems to me like they don’t exactly like preserving humanity, but the technology itself. I don’t think they care who’s toes they gotta step on or break off to get what they want.”

“Now ya learning.” John refuted liberally.

“Which is why I need as much insight as I can before I can strengthen up the Minutemen. I need to know what we’re up against. We’ll handle them once the Institute is out of the scripture.”

“Like Judah.”

“Didn’t realize you were religious.”

“Yeah?” He cocked his eyes right over to her with a soft little chuckle, “If that’s the case, I must be the best damn priest in the commonwealth to have you chanting God so much.”

“Father Hancock has a ring to it.”

“Nah, I think I like daddy better.”

Maddie just grinned over at him feeling the familiar hospitality between them again. “Wanna lead me in prayer?” She purred, wagging her eyebrows suggestively at him. He shook his head with a low chuckle taking her chin in his palm. He kissed her softly, full of apologies none of them vocalized just yet.

“Just get on your knees…” He shot back easily and together they fell back into another passionate rendezvous. It was fire and ice. Smooth like whiskey, burning like a match. Gripping for each other like they’d suddenly slip away, never getting enough. She drank him in like water just like he soaked her up like rads.

They never tired of the familiar spark. It was always a one touch strike of a match on a pile of gunpowder, fifty times the explosion of the biggest nuclear bomb. He dove deeper and deeper and she craved more even when she completely bottomed out between them. It was the pillow whispered sounds to keep the guards outside from hearing. The pull of her hair and the swelling of his seed seeping into her womb and drenching out her legs.

It was filth and grime but with something so goddamn beautiful, worth more than all the caps Hancock himself invested in years of leading this town.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! I have returned my loves. Sorry for the little hiatus a girl like me is hella busy with life and work but hey! I'm back, so let's get this on the road, yeah?

If there was something about the old world she really missed, it was the car rides after a long day of work. The stars above as she traveled under them following them like a compass with nothing but the crisp air and smell of orchids in the summer. Music playing softly over the radio helping her to fall in love with the country backroads. It was much different now as she walked seeing remnants of vehicles alike. “You think I could rebuild one of these Harleys someday?” She asked, kneeling down to a rusted bike at the side of the demolished rubble.

Hancock looked back at her with the most amused grin. “Yo, do you know how fucking sweet that’d be?”

It didn’t surprise her Hancock was a motorcycle kind of guy. It fit him perfectly.

She added that onto her list of things to build when she got the free time. They were making their way to the castle just to pay Preston a visit and hopefully clear the air between them. Bringing Hancock along probably wasn’t the best idea, considering the two never seemed to hit it off. She didn’t blame him, it took someone special to get along with him.

Under the purple dusk sky it looked positively ominous. The outside wall that once beared the most grandest doors was no more, just a wide opening with rubble at its feet. Through the clearing the shadows of the ever growing minutemen mushroomed until a full fleet of them stood at attention upon the general’s arrival.

Lights blinked on once the spotlight confirmed their identities. Preston broke through the crowd with his red musket flaring like a warning sign. “General.” He greeted with a stark stiff expression. “Hey, Preston…” She said with the smallest hint of an apologetic smile on her lips. He spotted Hancock little ways behind her and he nodded. “Heya, Napoleon!” He greeted, saluting to him. Confusion etched over her features yanking her eyebrows together when she tilted her body a fraction to stare between the two of them.

John just bore that infamous shit-eating grin and winked. Preston’s lips pulled up in amusement as well, but it was gone when he faced Maddie directly. “We have some things to discuss.” She told him in short. “I expected as much. Follow me.” She did as she was told. None of the minutemen nearby glared at him, and something like relief flooded through him.

With Maddie in lead, she doubted she’d allow bigots anyways.

Hancock hadn’t been in the Castle since they’d met Ronnie not too far back. “I’ve always wanted my own fortress.” He commented. He heard Maddie sigh and he just smiled, her favorite pain in the ass. Preston lead them down the brightly lit corridors passing by ammo stations, medic, and a few other vendors that stuck around. Garvey pushed open two heavy set doors leading to the most grandest library, office, kind of thing he’d ever seen.

The once bare cement walls were adorned with the most pristine put together shelves, polished dark oak, he realized. In the middle of it was a grand circle table that reminded him of that one King Arthur bloke. “The round table.”

Maddie blinked in confusion, taking in the scene before she murmured, “Well, I’ll be, Garvey. Never took you a fan of the classics…” The minutemen grinned proudly, nodding to the prewar books stacked to high heavens in here. John would be spending a lot of time in here one day, he thought. She set her rifle down next to the chair sitting at the head of it opening the wine case. “Anyone else?” She offered, looking between Preston and Hancock.

He opened his mouth to reply and she just shut him down with a look.

“Why’d you even ask me if you were gonna say no…” He muttered like a scorned child. He flopped his slouching shoulders against the wall closest to where she’d be sitting. Preston sat nearby to a chair on the left. There didn’t seem to be too much tension, luckily for the three of them. Technically, Hancock was there for support. This was between her and Preston.

“So…” She didn’t know where to begin, but it seemed Preston did.

“I hope you know what you're doing, General. You seem to trust in the good intentions of the Brotherhood a lot more than I do.”

“That was blunt.” John stated.

She almost choked on the wine she sipped on having to agree with him on that.

“There’s much more to it, Preston.” She said, setting her glass down. She folded her hands on top of the table staring right into his eyes as she spoke, “Hancock, believe it or not, brought up a very valid point. The Brotherhood don’t have all the best intentions in being here. Spending time with them-”

“You mean joining them.”

“Okay, yes, joining them.” She shrewd her eyes at him. “Joining them, I’ve learned three things. They love their technology, control, and ass backwards beliefs. None of this is for the greater good of the Commonwealth, no matter how they swing the bat.”

“And yet you put your faith in them - why? They roll in that giant balloon with the most grandest display of dominance, taking out the Institute - fine. But what about afterward? The Brotherhood will still have a giant war machine... who's next on their enemies list?”

Hancock had to admit, he was throwing out valid points. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t thought of before. “Ghouls, synths, Super Mutants. Brotherhood had its way, they'd put us all down.” He toyed with his knife, twirling it like there wasn’t any risk to chopping his own digits off. Then again, he wasn’t exactly in one piece anyways when it came to missing appendages. “Only people the Brotherhood ends up helping are themselves.” He finished, catching the blade he tossed in the air between his thumb and forefinger.

She slammed her palms down on the table standing up quickly, staring each of them down. “Listen!” She snapped. “You two are some of the most important people to me. Preston, you’re second in command. If anything happens to me, the power goes right to you. For this to happen, I need you to put full trust in me. These… Soldiers, they’re a much bigger threat than you realize. They’ve been scavenging for nuclear warheads - and their bunkers? That airship? Their bases?” She folded her hands behind her back starting to pace now.

“They’re fully loaded to the hilt with firepower. We pick our fight carefully. Methodically. We get their help to take down the Institute if need be. Take some of their guns, armor, even. We load up the minutemen and we take down the institute before they do. Whatever weapon they have, the commonwealth will be caught in the crossfire. We want as little casualties as possible. With as many nukes that they have, it’s gonna be the apocalypse all over here again.”

She hoped she was painting the picture loud and clear in their heads. Preston sunk down in his seat with his chin leaning on top of his hand, elbow rested on the table. “First thing’s first…” He sighed, looking a lot older than he was at the sudden stress of the situation. “We still need to build up our strength. We don't want to start a war with the Institute until we're sure we're going to win it… If… The Brotherhood helps, I’d rather us keep this in our hands.”

She nodded in agreement stopping to lean back against the table, hair falling over her shoulder and swaying against the dark wood.

“You ever wonder if maybe you're a synth and don't know it? I got a lot of time I can't account for…” The two minutemen stared at Hancock, incredulous at his outburst. It took him a few moments, blinking with a confused tilt of his head.

“...Did I say it out loud?”

“Yeah, mayor. You did.” Preston responded, seeming both amused and done with his bullshit.

“I’m guessing we’re on the same page here?” She asked after a reticence covered the room.

Preston nodded. “We’ll back you all the way, General.”

The two men she stared at were now some of her most liable assets, had they not been before, they definitely were now. They all felt a sense of purpose now seeing how gratifying the reality of this was. Hancock with his quick lucid wit, self reliance. Preston with his strategic and calm demeanor, the making of a strong leader.

She rapped her fingernails against the surface sucking on her lower lip. “When we go through this…” She added softly, longingly peering down to measure each splintering cracks in it. “We’re gonna need every person we know. Nick Valentine, Paladin Danse, hell, the Railroad for sure,” She ignored the twitch of Hancock’s finger around the blade her held in his hand at the mention of the paladin, “Ronnie Shaw, anyone.” She flipped her hair back when she lifted her head releasing a deep shaking breath.

Hancock could sense her nerves, but the woman he was admiring was no longer the cocky unsure vault dweller. This was someone who’d traveled it and saw its evils, but saw the better of all of it. She bore new scars, new ideals. Dressed in her general uniform, she didn’t look like Maddie at all. Dare he compare her to such a goddess, Athena. Pride swelled in his chest at the self assured minuteman.

“However, we need to find a way into the institute. We know of someone, Doctor Virgil… John and I,” she motioned over to where he leaned and he smirked in reply, “Are heading that way now. If I somehow don’t make it out…” Preston’s eyes widened when she softened up, now standing up straight.

Her chin was held high her shoulders back, chest profound. “Preston, you promise me you’ll take my place. You’ll accept any minuteman, woman, man, super mutant, or ghoul. Even a synth. We will not discriminate. We help all that need it and seek it, with only the good of intentions of the commonwealth.”

There was that threat now. An impalpable fear that once Maddie infiltrated the Institute, she’d never return. She was willing to sacrifice herself. “You have my word.” Preston recited. “On my grave and your own, but we should discuss the what-ifs when they come.”

Hancock nodded in grave agreement adding, “All the pain, the fear, the loss the Institute's inflicted. Time we returned the favor.” He lifted himself off the wall with a roll of his shoulders. “Just with more careful preparations. This talk is heavy, ya got a bar around here?”

Preston stood up nodding is head in the direction of the door. “Next to the radio beacon, go see Josie. She’s a ghoul fanatic, it’d make her day.”

There was amusement in his usually monotone voice, and Hancock cracked a grin at that. She smiled fondly when his eyes met hers and she shrugged, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He kissed the top of her head on his way out and she watched after him with the most affectionate little laugh herself.

“He’s something, isn’t he, Preston?”

“Dealing with him daily isn’t for the faint of heart…” He struggled to muster.

Maddie just shrugged breathing out a dramatic sigh. “Nah, It really isn’t. He’s a good guy at heart though.”

Preston just nodded, remember how forlorn it was to watch Hancock stay up for days running on Buffout and whatever else could get him to stay awake, the day Maddie went up against Kellogg. How he watched how gently he tried to soothe her pain when she startled up against it. There was no doubt he really cared for her, and maybe… Maybe he was just jealous of it.

He couldn’t deny part of him pulled to her like a magnet anytime he was in her presence. He convinced himself at first that it was just the whole heroic saving the day thing. It was watching her walk in and out of sanctuary with him in tow all the while, he realized it was more. He hated the thought of them sleeping in the same place. It made him sick to think of them sharing the same bed - same spit.

Now?

He realized they were one in the same. They were a power bomb and God have mercy on the Commonwealth with the two of them together. Hancock was a name feared all throughout, and he wasn’t a man to cross without a deathwish. Maddie had managed to not only infiltrate his fortress of Goodneighbor - but his strongroom. And lived to tell the tale.

Survived enough to tell the story of falling in love with the thug - and leading the strongest underdog through history. Destroying the Institute, and soon, blowing up the Brotherhood. If the NCR could take control of New Vegas - they could run the brotherhood out. With Maddie leading, he didn’t have one single doubt to the endless possibilities.

Hancock was leaning with his elbows up against the bar podium overlooking the crops being tended to. From Mirelurk food to busy little fire ants protecting their colony, the minutemen were sure to protect this land for all they could. With all they had.

Maddie returned from her conversation with Preston and was now greeting each soldier individually. Had you mentioned to Hancock months ago that he would have met his match, he would’ve laughed and probably punched someone in the face. Now? He couldn’t be proved anymore wrong. He tried to ignore the way his heart would skip a beat anytime she even spared a glance his way. She bore a grin meant for him and him alone.

Her eyes softened like he was the most precious thing she’d ever owned. When she thought he was asleep, he’d often pretend like he wasn’t feeling the soft caress of her fingers on his skin chasing the charred up scars. Destroyed by the very chems he tried to escape in - to run. He wanted to. He was able to run from his ugly past that kept ramming him in the ass like a pissed off gay man hate fucking some exboyfriend or something. He ran right into her.

The ghoul tossed back the remaining whiskey in his glass when she walked over. She came up to his chest, but the power held in her was grander than any atom bomb that could be created. Not even the Enclave could match it. Not even the Brotherhood stash could. “Don’t mind me. Just enjoying the view.” He drawled drunkenly, throwing his arms around her.

From the top of his arms wound about her head hugging it to his chest, the distinct pearly smile could be seen. “I love you, John.” She whispered. She kissed his chin nuzzling into his shirt, feeling the still thumping heart up against her ear. “I love you. I love you.” She repeated, sounding confident with each and every line. She only tilted her head up to kiss him with a feeling so sure and full of such a strong emotion he forgot where they were.

It was the first time he’d ever heard her say it, come to think of it.

It wasn’t the rushed quick pecks of running out of time he got used to. It was so strong, so tender… “God, you crazy fuckin’ human…” He murmured on her lips, tilting his hat down to shadow them, shading them from outsiders. All he could see were those gorgeous chocolate eyes swirling with so much warmth he could honestly probably cry. She grinned up at him with those perfect pearly whites - how she maintained it, he hadn’t a clue.”I really, really love you. Truly.” Hancock managed to say through the tightness in his throat.

She just breathed out a chuckle digging her face there into his chest again where she felt so, so much safer. Maddie gnawed on her lower lip with the most brightest smile she felt stretch on her face after what felt like forever. Love.

This was what it felt like to fall in love again. It was so much… Stronger, almost. Unbeatable.

Hancock was leaning up against the little makeshift bar staring over the castle grounds from above her dark head of hair. No one batted an eye when they passed by, no one questioned. No judgemental looks. Unless you counted Preston’s, who just seemed… Calmed, almost. He watched from one of the archways when he spotted him.

And there - on his emotionless face - was a smile. He nodded to the ghoul, and Hancock did the same in return turning his eyes to this angel who managed to drag herself from heaven to hell. It was like she was awoken just to be his saving grace. His chin slowly rested on her head when it began to pour down rain and rads around them. Neither of them moved from where they lazily just stood wrapped up in each other.

Hancock curled a finger under her chin when she moved and God, the look of her thick eyelashes spidery and damp with rain, skin glistening… He brought his lips up against her in a slow tender kiss that he didn’t want to end. He was aware of his hat collecting and spilling thick droplets of water, but neither of them seemed to care. It was slow and deliberate, lips lazily grazing one another. Their tongues tangled and hugged instead of the rush and roughness of time.

She pulled back just to take his hands pulling him off the counter he was angled on. He stumbled just a little feeling the liquor touch his system - so he said. It was that same mind dumbing effect the drugs had on him, just so much sweeter. “Can you dance?” She asked him, batting those eyelashes to rid of the water drenching her face.

“Believe it or not, I can.” He replied with that signature smirk. “But there isn’t any music to dance to.” 

 

Maddie just laughed and he pulled her close, a palm on her lower back, tangling their fingers together. She almost didn’t register when he yanked her close and twirled them around in the mud. She flushed deep - looking up at him innocently, almost. He just quirked a bare eyebrow up at her with that knowing little simper. “Didn’t think a charming man like me could move? My looks aren’t the only things that catch the ladies. And gentleman.”

She rested her head on him as they swayed and spun, only occasionally breaking away when he twirled her around at arm’s length. He kissed her when he dipped her down and she grinned on his lips, arms looping around his neck.

_Don’t let this end_ , Hancock begged silently. _Let her stay._

 


	15. Chapter 15

“I really don’t think either one of you guys wanna go onto the Prydwen with me…” Maddie began uncertainly, bent over the bed in the General suite of the castle. Nick was standing near the door like a stubborn mule, Hancock next to him leaning on the wall with the nastiest sneer on his face.

“You’re not wrong there.” John grumbled, lighting up a cigarette with such a distasteful glare her way, she actually wanted to slap him.

“You walk in with a synth, they have a goddamn heart attack.” Nick said. “Then you add a ghoul in the mix? The whole ship might just crash.”

Maddie just shook her head in utter disbelief at just how childish these two were being. For granted, she really couldn’t blame them. “They’re just a few blocks away…” She muttered.

“Really?” Hancock drawled full of sardonicism, walking over to her just to slide an extra stimpak into her bag. “Kind of hard to miss a giant flashy fucking war machine in the air.”

She whipped around pulling out her hunting knife as a warning turning to the light caught the blade. “One more fuckin’ word.” She hissed between her teeth. John was glaring her down and Nick just breathed out a sigh sliding a robotic hand between the two of the stubborn warriors.

“Madeleine, calm down. Turning on your spousal partner won’t be doing you any good. Sticking together is all we got. The Brotherhood of Steel isn’t exactly what the Commonwealth needs, but if they’re as tough as you’re saying they are,” His optics were on Hancock now, still stuck in his pouty stance, “We’re gonna need them on our side.”

“Until we build up enough power. Then, they’re out next to the institute.” Hancock declared, arms crossing over his chest. He wasn’t yelling, thankfully. That cold stoney tone was enough to chill anyone’s bones. He meant business, Nick and Maddie both understood it in that moment. Maddie just breathed out a heavy sigh slinging her bag over her back, kissing Hancock’s cheek as a way to say goodbye.

Even as soft as she made him, the fucking Brotherhood made him sick. The fact he had to set his pride aside just for her sake, it made him fucking… Belligerent with rage. Even if it meant finding Shaun. Nick offered her a tight hug on her way out. “I’ll be back soon.” Maddie said, but to Hancock, it was a warning. She might not come back alone.

Maddie pretended not to see how Hancock’s fists tightened so bad that even his knuckles were threatening to protrude from his ghoulish skin. She also acted as if part of her wasn’t so bothered by the fact she felt like she was going against the only friends, and family she’d come to make. But she was a leader. A mother. She had to do what was better for herself, and the commonwealth. Her primary focus was on her baby and getting him safe back with her.

It felt so weird traveling alone when she got so used to having Hancock there at her side. She stepped outside the bounds of the Minutemen base flagging a vertibird signal. She could hear the crunching of footsteps behind her when the giant helicopter came into view. She grinned turning smugly to see Hancock right before everyone else, even himself in awe. “I’ll never get tired of riding in one of these things.” She called to him over the eloping whirl of blades.

He shook his head in either disappointment or the bullheaded repercussion of watching his girlfriend leave with his sworn enemy ship. “Don’t worry, we’ll hijack one of these for ourselves one day.” She promised him when it landed messily. The ground shook and she swore she saw a bolt fly off. Amazing soldiers, but terrible pilots.

“Better keep that promise, Maddie.” There wasn’t any sign of humor and his tone was as dry as the grass around them. It halted her in her tracks, distracting her with a sudden guiliness sinking in her stomach. She’d focus on that later though, she had a task at hand. No time for pleasantries. “I promise, John.” Her voice was soft even for as loud as she was just for it to reach him.

Hancock just nodded and turned back into the crowd, not wanting to watch her leave to a place she should have never got involved in.

She climbed up into it adjusting her tricorn hat of her own tipping it at her soldiers. “I’ll be back, men.” Nick stood smoking a cigarette next to Preston, all minutemen watching her depart with their own expressions of amazement. She didn’t miss Nick’s face, drawn tight with both worry and concern. Partly for her, but even he was wary of where her trust was gonna lie after today. People pulled straws if it means getting what they need or want.

God help them all if she turned on them.

The Prydwen was impressive, she really had to admit that. It’d be better if it wasn’t for that disgusting locker room smell she almost forgot about. Body odor, rust, and hot piss. She wrinkled her nose in the absolute disgust when she hopped off the vertibird. There were knights, paladins, and sentinels waiting nearby when she made her way through to Elder Maxson. She felt like an ant next to an elephant branching through the ship doors.

She was expecting a timeworn elderly man, like the name describes, Elder Maxson. She pulled the metal door back behind her with a loud clang. Of course this guy here wasn’t much older than her at all. It made her first introduction go along so much easier with that. Well, for the most part. They’d both established she didn’t follow their rules very well. He couldn’t doubt that even with Danse’s recommendation, she was something to be riddled with.

“Elder Maxson.” She greeted the stark man in the giant jacket. She just slouched down on one of the nearby sofas, an eyebrow cocked at her attire. She’d made it very clear she wasn’t gonna drop the minutemen, and he didn’t have a goddamn choice but to go along with it.  
“Knight.” He all but hissed the name back to her.

“You always this comforting when greeting a friend?” She asked all too nicely. Like sugar in tea, too sweet.

“For what do I owe the pleasure? So you know, Paladin Danse is supervising the transfer of the Fat Man warheads to the Prydwen... they'll provide quite an edge to our arsenal. I've also ordered a detachment to occupy the location and use it as a staging area to protect the eastern side of the airport. All-in-all, you handed us quite a valuable location.”

Either he didn’t pick up on her smartass attitude, or he was handing all of her sarcastic sadism right back to her in a bitter way to remind her, she was technically a soldier for him still. That was such a bitter pill to swallow, even for her. “Well. I’m glad. However, Elder,” She forced his name out. He turned his eyes onto her with a stern glare.

“We have something much bigger to discuss right now.” Maddie said, now raising to stand beside him. She knew most knights, and even Danse wouldn’t even think to even get within a foot radius of him like this. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or impressed she had the balls. However, he didn’t shuffle out of the way. She stared over Fort Strong, watching the Brotherhood moving about down on the island.

“The Institute.” Maxson said.

“I might have a way to get into the Institute.”

“I believe there's a bit more to the story than you're telling me, but based on your actions so far, I'm willing to take you at your word.” Elder Maxson stated. Her tilted his head at a fraction of an angle to stare at her. She felt his gaze, but kept her eyes forward instead.

“Aren't you the least bit curious what they have in there?” She whispered, longingly.

Arthur remained quiet but replied as confidently, and strategically with the military mindset, “Don't allow the allure of their isolation to cloud your judgment. Together we'll make them pay for their crimes. I'll call ahead and brief Proctor Ingram. Report to the airport and get to work on your project right away.” He turned his back to resume previous position, but she stopped him in his tracks. She moved back in front of him.

“I don’t want you guys having me work on this project. There’s… A team effort being involved.” She explained. “I still need your guys’ help, but… Listen, this is personal not for the military to get-”

His face flamed red in anger and his voice was just as powerful as if he swung on her, “Are you out of your mind, Knight?! You come onto Brotherhood territory, whom you have sworn your allegiance to-”

“My allegiance stands with the minutemen and the Commonwealth, Arthur, you know this.” She hissed through her teeth at him. “You know too goddamn well you’re not getting there without me. You can try, and try, but my son comes before any fucking makeshift military post. I need your help to take down the institute. You’re powerful - you’re every bit of an enemy to them as they are to us.”

The petite woman jumped to her tiptoes stating clearly, “When I find this information out, I’ll keep you briefed. I’ll do all I can, but you will not tell me what to do when it comes to this.”

His eyes were feral, his collected slicked back hair seeming to pop up one by one, the vein in his head bulging. “Who in the hell do you think you think you’re demanding orders to, Knight? May I remind you who gives the orders and who takes them?! I’ll take your rank-”

Gritting her teeth together painfully, she narrowed her dark eyes her voice cold as ice and the metal making this ship, “Take it, damn you. You know good and goddamn well you need me more than I need you. Make me an enemy, and I’ll take this platoon out just as easy as I’m gonna take out the institute. You either help me, or I’ll take on two factions at once. We have a common enemy, and I can help you get to whatever it is you’re wanting or needing.”

It was then the door broke open exposing Paladin Danse looking more frazzled than Arthur and-

“Nick? Hancock?” She gasped, seeing the two men behind him. Both her and the elder were stunned to silence much to the three men’s amusement apparently. She didn’t miss the snicker and proud smirk from the ghoul. He just sauntered in like this was his own place and flung himself down on the sofa.

“This the elder guy? Looks like you made him age a few years. Was that just from today or?” Hancock asked, lighting a cigarette all nonchalantly. “Yeah, she has that effect. Drives a man crazy.”

Nick just moved in with Danse offering her a comforting hand on her shoulder, also pulling her back from the trembling elder. “Paladin?! What is the reason for this? A synth and a ghoul? Why didn’t you exterminate them?!”

Maddie was taken back herself, knowing Danse wouldn’t ever risk the brotherhood, let alone for these two fools. Or herself. He’d end them all if it meant keeping the Brotherhood safe, and so forth. “They had a vertibird. Said they had business with you and Maddie about the institute. Said you expected them. As I can see, either of you were really… Expecting them. My apologies, elder.”

There were so many questions going through her head, but it looked like Elder Maxson was gonna have a stroke himself.

Ask them where they found the vertibird later, she thought.

“We will discuss our business later when these abominations aren’t in our presence.” He hissed, fingers twitching at his side for the weapon holstered.

Hancock hadn’t missed it and had his blade in hand before Nick could coarse him into putting it away.

“You will discuss them in front of them. They’re gonna be some of our primary soldiers. What do you say, Elder? You with the institute or against them? Help us take them down - you can take my rank. Make me an enemy, but there’s better things to worry about than… These two.” She motioned to the detective and ghoul. “Even though Nick’s perception and Hancock’s intelligence together is probably terrifying.”

Danse stared aghast when the elder pinched the bridge of his nose with the words, “Fine. I’ll help. The Brotherhood will help the minutemen. The commonwealth.”

“Elder-” He began, cutting himself off when Maxson glared at him pointedly.

She grinned proudly patting him on the shoulder. “There ya go, Arthur. That wasn’t so hard, was it? We’ll keep you updated.” She turned then to face the two. “Now I need answers from you two.”

“You really only need answers from this genius over here.” Nick mumbled, looking as if he’d rather be somewhere else than here.

Hancock beamed so proudly she couldn’t hold onto any of the agitation she was feeling at all. He was like a little kid being caught doing something he wasn’t even supposed to do. “Well, let’s just say, I have some friends.”

“And they just happened to find a vertibird?” Maddie asked bemusedly. 

“Well, it found us. So did the sorry bastards with it.”

“You attacked my men?!” Arthur seethed.

“Not exactly me, but.” He turned those obsidian eyes onto Maxson icily. “Your men were attacking my men. Kind of bit them in the ass, like Maddie says, you’re terrible pilots.”

She cursed him under her breath when Maxson glared at her now.

“We just have some people who can fix up crashed vertibirds. Not our fault.” He finished, daring him to strike.

Arthur whirled around exasperatedly feeling sick to his stomach because of the fury coursing through his veins at the situation. His ship had been touched by mutations and synths, he’d have to have this whole thing stripped and rebuilt. “Get out. Take your people knight and fucking… Get out. Come to me only when you have solid information on how to get into the institute.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She gripped Hancock by his shirt collar and Nick by his arm - the more human like one. The robotic one isn’t exactly an electrocution she’d want while standing on a full metal plain. Yet, just as they said, there was another Vertibird outside except-

“John. Tell me you didn’t paint the Goodneighbor insignia on it.”

It was just as big as the one she arrived on, but with a much modded out minigun instead. It had a tribarrel and a sniper sight on it. Right on either side was a hard to miss skull and trihorn hat symbol on each side.

“I think it looks cool. I got it fair and square. There was only one scribe alive when we found it. Technically. The poor dude was decapitated so I had Bobbi put him out of his misery. This thing was in pieces. I just wanted to fix it up. Have one of my own.”

“I killed Bobbi.”

“This has been in affect long before you walked that pretty little ass through my town.”

All three just stood there, Maddie marveling it, and John so so proudly boasting of his new accomplishment. Nick really wanted to get this ass chewing over with. “Let’s just… Go home.” She sighed, turning then to realize, one of them had to fly it. “And I’m flying this ship.”

“Good idea,” Nick snorted. “Hancock damn near destroyed this ship himself.”

Maddie just muttered, “Something tells me that was his plan.”

“You’ve got no proof.” Hancock chuckled, draping an arm around her waist possessively.

The trio sat around a campfire back at the castle, but Maddie kept her distance from Hancock. Once the whole amusement set aside, there was still anger lying beneath it. “You could’ve got yourselves killed by stepping foot on that ship. Especially claiming business with their elder. They really don’t play that bullshit.”

Nick’s eyes were on Hancock, and she knew he only went to keep them both safe. John alone could have really terminated whatever deal if not himself, her, and possibly anyone else they felt justified to attack. “We didn’t get hurt and everyone is fine.” He replied as if it wasn’t the most biggest deal in the world.

Maddie shook her head, palms cupping her knees from where she was poking the fire keeping it lit. “Do you not understand you could have jeopardized everything?” She asked, eyes on him. “Hancock, I was fine. I had it completely handled. It’s just Maxson, he wouldn’t hurt me if it meant helping the brotherhood get whatever it is they wanted. It’s afterwards we’d have to worry.”

Nick felt an argument coming on, and immediately butted in, “You might want to have this talk somewhere private.” Maddie blinked a few times, taking a look around at the night crew coming in to take their shifts now. “He’s got a point. This isn’t something I wanna discuss around them. And…” She motioned to one of the crows sitting on one of the posts.

Nick sighed and pulled out his .44 and nailed it down. “Fucking scare crows.”

Hancock was the first one to jump the moment the door to her room was shut. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Maddie. I don’t trust them. I hate you going to them for help. I don’t care how much fancy shit they have, we can handle it.”

“You don’t know this, Hancock. Have you ever stopped and just thought about what could be inside there? What weapons they have?” Her eyes were wide an pleading for him to grasp onto what was being said. “I know you hate them, trust me, it makes me sick having to go so low-”

“Then why do it?” He demanded, raising his voice.

She blinked a few times in surprise trying to figure out who the fuck he was talking to.

“Why suck up and kiss ass for some fucking scavengers? That’s all they are! We could find everything they have and be fine.”

“I have to do it for Shaun!” She cried suddenly. “John, there’s so much at stake! Before a general, I’m a mother. A wife, do you understand? Not that I don’t care about the commonwealth, but I’m so fucking close! I want him here and safe. I want him home with me, then we can attack them, take them by surprise. You have to understand where I’m coming from, John. Please…”

He was quiet and his face unreadable, and she fucking hated when he did that. He played it like a chess game, a poker face.

He wish he could understand, part of him did. He’d fallen for the kid just from watching her memories, the innocent child. They were so rare in the commonwealth, but… But what if he couldn’t amount to the amount of love she had for him? He never deserved anyone as good as her. Any kind of of recounting he suffered through, watching her sleep, watching her fight, he still couldn’t think of any reason to have deserved her.

She moved to cup his face and he looked at her. It was pure misery in his expression, and it left her feeling defenseless seeing him so open. So… Broken. She forgot under all the malice and Charisma, the confidence was an act, somewhat. “That doesn’t mean I love you any less, that my intentions aren’t as pure as before…” She finished tenderly, bringing his forehead against hers. He breathed out a shaky sigh taking her hands away from him.

“I appreciate the effort, beautiful, but… Why are you here? What do you see in me? Is it the sex? Is it the fucking… fetish to fuck someone who isn’t exactly human?” His tone was so much harsher than he intended it to be. He felt her hurt when she inhaled sharply. “You think this is all for some fucking…” She breathed, turning digging her fingers into her hair for a moment.

“You really think this is just some fucking sex escapade with you? That you really are just so goddamn replaceable to me?” Maddie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her heart weighed like the lead she used in her own guns, she used to build the commonwealth from the bottom up.

“I mean… What else could you possibly need me for?” He faced her with a dark confidence and accusing hiss she wasn’t here for. “I’ve seen you handle yourself. You survived Kellogg, on your own. You traveled to the most dangerous places without me. You don’t need me.”

“Don’t tell me that!” She shrieked, stomping over to him. She gripped onto his coat like any moment he’d get tired and walk away. “I need you more than I’ve ever needed anyone. My love for you is strong, but my love for my son is so strong too. There are two types of love. I’d put my goddamn life on the line for you. If it meant you seeing another day, I’d hand Shaun over to you and stand in the line of fire. John, believe me. Your dick could fall off and I’d love you as much as I have since the beginning.”

It was then when he gripped her upper arms she realized he was trembling. She wasn’t sure if it was from the chems, of just the sudden vulnerable situation. His hold wasn’t tight enough to hurt put it was as if he was stopping himself from falling. She brushed his hat off whispering, “I see the man under this hat. Under this outfit…” His eyes met hers.

Her honey eyes were welling up with tears. “I see you. This broken man who only wants to do good. You have a heart of a champion, John… I’m not the only one with a broken tale to tell.” She drew her petite arms around his middle clinging to him for dear life. His arms slowly slid around her like a vice, fisting the back of her shirt to keep her there against him.

“I’m not religious by any means…” He began, burying his mouth into her filthy hair. “I pray everyday you don’t go away… That I don’t chase you away, that I don’t have to watch you die… You’re the best damn thing I’ve got. Temper and all.” She swallowed the lump in her throat letting the tears overflow down her cheeks.

“I’m right here… Hancock, John…” She looked up at him and kissed him ever so softly. “You’re beautiful to me. Outside of this whole cool guy persona. I fell in love with you. We’re two flames destined to burn up this whole damn world. I feel naked without you at my side. And with Shaun, I want us to be a family. Somehow… No matter how old he may be. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that boy Kellogg was traveling with wasn’t my son. He had his father’s face, but my mama’s eyes…”

The idea of him being a father terrified him more than he’d ever let her know. He could hardly remember his pa, because him and his brother had been alone for so long together. Just those idle fishing trips. He remembered his mother really well, though. He chewed on the inside of his cheek kissing her forehead after a moment. “Get some rest, Maddie. I think I need to be alone for a little.”

She looked up at him with sadness, but understanding and pulled away.

“...Promise me you’ll come back?”

John just smiled sadly. “I’m not going anywhere, princess. I need to collect myself, ya know? Taste the outside air for a little."

She sat down on her bed watching him leave, hoping that he was being honest. She was exhausted, but not enough to sleep. Not yet. She found it difficult to sleep without him unless she was dog tired, and this wasn't one of those nights. She was emotionally rundown. She fell back staring up at the ceiling forlornly feeling her eyes watering up and spilling over. He said he'd be back, but would he? What if he didn't?

What if she had to choose her son over him?

Through the sobs she was laughing, laughing because this had to be the most normal, mundane thing she'd ever had to worry over since she awoken from that ugly fucking pod. Not the scary monsters that protruded from her nightmares, the ghouls, the murderer she actually got a glimpse inside of. It was insane, she was insane, everything was fucking psycho.

Too alert of everything, every problem she'd ever had, she didn't wanna stay here. Not locked up in a room. For once, she didn't have the knack to build and fix, because she couldn't ever fix anything in her life. How could she ever fix anyone else's? She had so far, believe it or not. Her heart was full of so much that she was scared it was gonna burst through her rib cages. She couldn't breathe, every ounce of emotion choking her up. 

For once, she let it take over her. Losing all control she cried until her throat was raw, she muffled her screams in the pillows. In the middle of her meltdown curled up in the middle of the cold dark room, Valentine picked up on the disturbance and was at her aid in an instant. She would have fought usually, but even now, she needed someone. Nick was the closest thing to a parent that she had right now, and his buzzing metallic robotic body brought a comfort.

He knew first hand what it felt like to be thrust into a world he didn't know, and knew it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to it too. She felt like a helpless child pleading for a way out. She didn't wanna be in this anymore. He was soothing her hair with a hand holding her against his chest. Her sobs slowed to ragged hiccups, then to deep breaths when she finally fell asleep from exhaustion. 

Breathing out a sigh, Nick slid his arms around her petite body sliding her into the bed and covering her. "You're too strong..." Valentine muttered, drawing his skeletal like finger along her tear drenched cheeks. 

 


	16. Chapter 16

Maddie breathed out a deep sigh seeing Hancock stripped out of his usual outfit. He wore simple road leathers she’d amped up with some extra lining, you know, just in case. He sat at the water’s edge near the lookout where she’d found the dead gunner inside. “Hey…” She sat down next to him stripped out of her uniform. It was too heavy for the Commonwealth sometimes. She wore a simple nightgown instead, her dark hair damp from the bath she’d given herself in this radiated water. She was still working on the whole plumbing thing.

At the smell of lavender and the glistening of her water kissed skin under the bright moonlight he turned to face her. She offered him a timid smile, and for once, she seemed unsure. That was an expression he himself hadn’t seen too often from her no matter how she tried to conceal it. “Hey.” His tone was the usual gruff purr, such a familiar comfort to her ears if there ever was one.

She lay her head on his arm muttering, “Are we still fighting? I don’t wanna be mad at you. And I’m really sorry, I just…” John smiled then, crooked and light. It still didn’t touch his eyes however. He lifted his hat off his head and set it on hers instead muttering, “Water under the bridge, Mads. I’m sorry I ran off that night. Being a father, you know… Never on my list of high expectations. I’ve never had to split my love of a person. The love I have for Goodneighbor is much different.”

Maddie scoffed, “Well, I’d hope so. You don’t have to split your love for anyone, John… Being a parent is something magical. He isn’t yours and… I won’t ask you to take any responsibility, but I want happiness. Having you is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but… I wanna family. You, me, him, and this whole dysfunctional crew we’ve got.”

She was staring out at the water fully aware Hancock’s eyes were on her the whole time she spoke. “I never got that chance before…” She confessed, the water’s glitters reflecting in her eyes. “And I want it more than anything. This war, Kellogg, the Institute… They took it away from me when I’ve only gotten a taste. Six months isn’t enough time, I’m convinced there never will be, if I’m honest.”

She turned those tormented eyes on him and he had to swallow the guilt that bubbled up into his throat burning like pure bile. “I…” John began cautiously, trying to think over his words carefully. “When I saw that young kid, in your head… I saw a lot of you and there was no doubt in my mind I’d put my life on the line as easy as I’d do it for you. I’m just… Not a good person. I’m a ghoul and a fucking addict. A lazy politician who saw murder as a way to gain control.”

“Is that what you’ve been so psyched out over?” Maddie questioned, concern drenching over her voice like thick honey. “He’s… I don’t know what the institute has him believing, what he's come to know. I do know that, if he’s anything like his father, he’s smart. He’s young and impressionable. He’ll come to love anyone and everyone, regardless of who or what they are.”

She shuffled closer draping herself in his lap, legs across his lap. She hugged his neck resting her head right there in the crook of it. He drew an arm around her, the other resting on her bare thighs. “There’s no telling what kind of mind control they have him under, and Maddie, this whole thing is so much more surreal. I… A dad. Someone like me.”

“Hancock, you’re a genius in your own kind. You’re street smart, you’re always reading something when I find you. Someone like you? So what, you’re flawed? No one really knows what the fuck they’re doing when it comes to being an actual parent. It’s part of the fun.” He was chewing on the inside of his cheek, rough fingertips blindly stroking along her legs. “All that matters is… Is we got each other. What do you say all the time, ‘Thanks to you, I finally know the place I belong. Right here. At your side. So I'd say we're all right’?”

Hancock’s face split into a grin then and he kissed the side of her head letting his lips rest there a moment. “That’s right, Princess. I got you. Everything else is just details and drug paraphernalia.” Maddie’s heart swelled and she swore she could cry sometimes.

“Do you really think this Doctor Virgil could help us?” Hancock wondered, looking down at the precious little fighter sitting helplessly on him right now. “That’s quite a feat to take you in a place full of radiation.”

“I have power armor, Johnt.”

“I’m gonna bring some extra radaway and rad-x anyways.”

“Have you ever thought…” Maddie began, smirking up at him. “That maybe rads don’t exactly affect me the way you think they do?’

“And what exactly are you trying to tell me?” Hancock asked, looking down at her with a bare risen brow.

She sat up to full face him like this wasn’t the most obvious thing. “How many times have you came in me? Fifty?”

“We can make it Fifty one.”

She breathed out a heavy sigh, holding onto his shoulders when she looked at him. “My body does this weird thing… Rads, little by little, heal me. Doctor Sun figured it out when Kellogg put a bullet in me. That’s why I kind of hardly take any sort of poisoning when we… Ya know.”

The idea clicked differently in his head, she saw the thoughts processing in the obsidian pits of his eyes. They flashed mischievously when he grinned. “In that case, I think a little but of makeup sex is in order.”

He lay her down so gently against the plush mattress she felt like fragile porcelain against him the way his hands bared her hips exposed beneath her satin gown. Their lips detached slowly just so he could discard the thin fabric and lose it somewhere in the room. Maddie grinned up at him unzipping the suit he wore. He footed it off, diving down to attack her neck in kisses.

She bit her lower lip drawing her teeth along it when his teeth grazed the sensitive skin. He was taking his time, she realized. Her arms went around his neck, hands brushing along the back of it feeling every inch of his ruined skin. He was so beautiful in her eyes and he just didn’t have a clue at all. There were no need for words, not when his mouth was working her body so expertly. His mouth was hot and wet against her wanting skin.

It bursted into goosebumps with every little sign of contact. He sucked one of her budding nipples into his mouth making her gasp, body arching up to meet it. He chuckled softly trailing his palms along the curves of her hips, her torso, drawing back down to rub between her bruise covered thighs. His tongue flicked along it in that perfect way eliciting a deep moan that exploded from the need between her legs.

In the dark, their eyes met. His lips went lower and lower, nipping at her navel. His tongue teased on the skin beneath it before reaching her mound. She was embarrassed by just how excited she was already, but it was always the effect he had on her though. Any little touch was a match to the flame, and he only needed one strike to start.His tongue licked between her slick folds, he nipped it causing her to jump at the new sensation.

His breath was hot on her skin when he laughed at that, tasting her in one gentle fluid motion of his tongue. Her hands went down to cover his nude head, stroking it instead of grabbing it. Take me, I’m yours forever and always.

His tongue flickered against her sensitive clit suckling on the swollen need and she swore she’d fall apart from that alone. He was always so deliberate, hitting every little button inside of her. She breathed out moans with each move he made, sliding his tongue in and out of her just to taste her clit over and over again. Her sounds were getting louder, more passionate, following each move he made. It wasn’t long before she was falling apart with wanton cries.

Her whole body was trembling from him and he wasn’t letting up at all. “I want you!” She gasped breathlessly, tongue steadily lapping at her sensitive need. He stopped at that asking in the most hoarse purr, “You want me?”

She shook her head in response, “Need. I need you inside me. Make me whole. I want all of you.”

He sat up on his knees pulling her up into his lap rubbing his rock hard length against her dripping sex. He slid inside of her slowly like a traveling burn growing to her womb. Once fully inside he leaned over her body bringing their lips together in a profound exclamation of love, and love alone. She curled her hands around the back of his neck to hold him there. He gripped her hips using that to steady his movements. Hard and gradual, going along with her clenching muscles.

They were curled up around each other, just the way it should be. There was no roughness to this, there wasn’t any rush. They were drinking each other in, absorbing one another. “I love you, Maddie.” He panted when she brought his forehead against hers. Her back arched up when he angled right up against that special spot. “I love you.” She mewled, rolling her hips down to meet his gyrating hips.

It was just the two of them, that’s all she needed for right now. It was more than enough. She was coming closer and closer with every drive of his length inside of her. She bit her lower lip to stifle the panted moans but it was impossible with heave of his body against hers, the feeling of her smooth skin clammy with sweat against his rough and dry one. She didn’t think she’d ever get enough. His cock was so much choppier than anything she was used to, and she didn’t think she’d ever get over with it.

“Give it to me.” She moaned, feeling his impulsion speed up only slightly. He was close, and she wanted to milk every single seed out of him. Hancock’s hips stuttered only a few moments later and he lunged in deep impaling her just the way she loved when he emptied inside of her. She could practically hear him dripping out of her and that alone made her legs clench around his waist when she came. Their lips slammed together swallowing each others turbulent gripes.

She lay back with him on top of her sliding out with the most grossest wet sound, but neither of them minded. Maddie didn’t care when it came to John’s head there on her chest, arms around her. She smiled to herself brushing her sweaty hair back just so she could stroke along his scarred up back. Moments like these meant everything to her. No matter how far they went, they’d never be too far back to not find each other again.

“John.” She whispered, hearing his breaths getting deeper and slower.

“Hm?” He grumbled tiredly.

“I love you.”

“I love you, Maddie.” Came his reply.

She smiled to herself stroking the back of his neck with her fingertips, drawing them down his back, repeating until sleep found her right when dawn was peeking between the curtains.

“She still needs to stay away from high levels of radiation.” Nick explained when Maddie loaded up the vertibird Hancock was oh-so proud of. It showed when he immediately hopped behind the giant minigun with the most feral eating grin she ever saw on his face. Safe to say, heavy artillery definitely made his dick hard.

“We’ll be fine, Nick.” Maddie promised loading in the last trunk of ammo they needed. “We’ll be back before you guys know it. Then, hopefully, we return with a way to get into the Institute.” The reality was setting in causing her limbs to buzz with excitement. She’d rain down nukes on their sorry asses and take back her son, save the commonwealth from them. Hancock was turning the gun every which way loading magazines, back in his usual outfit. Just now amped with ballistic weave and extra insulated lining in his jacket. Thanks to Maddie when he got blacked out drunk one night.

“Just be safe, that place isn’t exactly good for you smoothskins.” He teased with a hint of a smile. Maddie just returned the grin and kissed his cheek whispering near his sensors, “Go home to Ellie. She’s worried sick. We may or may not have stopped by on the way to Goodneighbor.” With that she hopped into her power armor decked out with all new kinds of mods she built.

Jet pack included.

Hancock whistled when she hauled herself into the pilot seat of the vertibird. “Now that looks good on you.” She laughed behind the metallic mask the moment she lifted the helicopter off the ground. Looking outside she saw all the minutemen waving her off, Preston and Nick in front of them all. She waved a hand back to them admiring just how many men she’d gained. From only a cute handful of ten, turned to almost hundreds. The whole courtyard was filled, and that didn’t include the ones hauled over in other settlements.

“Now this is a rush.” She heard him say, and she just shook her head in bemusement at him.

The two sailed over the land and from here, it was so beautifully broken. Comparing it to when she was flying over Boston in a plane back before the war, this was as close as she’d ever get back to it. “Just be on the lookout.” She called back to him. “I know you’re wanting to use that big fancy gun. Shoot any hostels from here. That doesn’t include the Brotherhood.”

“Accidents happen.” He returned with a smirk.

She followed along the path her pipboy was reading up until she saw the commonwealth slowly disappear from brown and green lush, to broken and cracking dirt. Little green orbs broke from the seams in the dirt. Trees faded where broken buildings and the heavy stench of sulfur and rust overwhelmed her nose, even through the power armor.

Her thoughts were distracted when she began descending closer and closer towards the Glowing Sea. Mid-firing at the deathclaws walking about she heard the somber words Hancock spoke, “And I thought the city got it bad.” Maddie had to agree.

From the air the only creatures she could see were just scorpions, deathclaws, and that was it. Not even any sort of ghouls so far yet. “This is gonna be a field day for you.” Maddie said when the Vertibird wavered itself into a still landing. She took the keys and tossed them to John, her power armor not exactly providing any pockets, sadly.

“Who'd have thought a place with this much radiation could be so damn dull.” Hancock sneered when he hopped off. He offered a hand until Maddie hopped off shaking the ground around them. The ghoul mayor glowered when he lost his footing and she smirked though he couldn’t see. “That isn’t for those with hangovers you know.” He warned.

“That’s your fault. You knew the plans for today.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but something had dragged her attention over the sea of radiation and nuclear waste. “There’s… Something over those hills right there.” Her boots crunched against the destroyed gravel following the steep sloping ground. She could hear chanting, the gurgling of bubbles from… Somewhere. Not to mention the stark green glow breaking through the haze of amber smog. John knew right away where they were.

“Remember those Child of Atom freaks I mentioned?” His face was grave when their heads protruded over the line of the crater. He kept a hand on her shoulder to hold her back from tumbling down. She was graceful, but that power armor wasn’t. Not that it made much of a difference. It was like a skeleton trying to hold back a fucking super mutant. A little bit useless. Maddie’s eyes assessed the metal shacks and camps down at the very bottom and felt nausea sweeping over her. She wasn’t touched by the rads in this thing, necessarily.

Didn’t mean she didn’t recall a few good dances with the nuclear devil before.

“How can they live down here like this and not be ghouls? Or alive?” She mused. She could practically taste the anemia in her mouth from here. Hancock just shrugged muttering, “They’re territorial. You’re gonna wanna speak with Mother Isolde before anyone. She’s in charge of this camp and I’d really fucking hate to kill on such holy grounds.” She didn’t miss the sarcasm buried under the malice, but turned a blind eye.

The closer they appeared the more apparent it became that scattered in the water like little booies were, who she guessed, members of the cult in rags and sacrificial hoods. The smothered hums of prayers seemed to circle her and make her more and more on edge. These people were absolutely fucking looney. Shaking her head she began speaking along the words of antipathy. “Never much for religion were ya?” Hancock drawled.

“Not a bit.” She fired back just in time to see a woman making her way over. Sickly and frail, she was. Drenched in a cloak that just seemed to be made out of any bits of hide, cloth, and material she could find. Which was pretty much the typical attire of the wasteland, Maddie noted. This one seemed just that much more noble. The lady’s eyes were sunken in bags, skin tinting more green and gray than any sort of healthy color that you could find around here. Hancock would bet a good handful of caps that if you asked her to lay down in this nuclear filth, she’d be pretty hard to determine and make out in her camouflage.

Maddie stood up straighter taking a step into a semi defensive position before she spoke. “Stop right there, stranger.” Without seeing her face, John could just paint the grimace she bore on canvas if you let him. “You approach Atom's holy ground. Why? State your purpose, or be divided in his sight.”

“Divided in his sight-” Hancock muttered arrogantly in a stale humor, but Maddie nudged him with the elbow of her armor. “I'm here because I need your help.” Her tone was even and clear of any undertone that could be deciphered as negative. Mother Isolde smiled, combined with the stringy patchy mop of gray hair on her head she looked more terrifying than anything Maddie had seen.

And she’d seen a naked super mutant so that told ya something.

“This is no place that the forsaken or untouched merely "pass through." You are here for a purpose, though you may not know it.” She smiled warmly causing shivers to spread down her spine. Thankfully, she had the power armor so the tremors weren’t so easily seen. “I'm looking for someone named Virgil.”

Immediately her face dropped to one of suspicion, her pitted eyes narrowed, “Step carefully, stranger. You speak of Atom's gifts to us, to the world.” It was then she turned her eyes on Hancock and smiled. It was creepy enough to even make the big bad mayor of Goodneighbor back up some. Dare Maddie say, cower partly behind her. They eyeballed him like he was the most tastiest thing they’d seen. They’re officially fucking nut jobs, she declared.

She stepped in his view just in case, when Maddie didn’t speak up she pressed with a subdued danger emitting deep from within some dusty gravel in her chest, “Why would you seek Atom's gifts?”

Maddie’s teeth ground together audibly and she really did think of just ending this now, the eyes of the whole village was on her, and she wasn’t surprised to feel the company right behind them. “This place is enough to give Deathclaw nightmares…” Hancock muttered only so she could hear.

Clearing her throat she spoke again, this time with a renowned force. The general voice, as John called it. “I need his help reaching the Institute.” Mother Isolde looked aside herself, but just nodded solemnly to her instead. “I have heard of this Institute. They hide themselves, trying to avoid the power of Atom. A futile effort.” Her words bounced off the walls of her brain, reinstating every word, syllable.

A futile effort.

Did… They really know the future her plans for the institute hailed? Ending in a raging storm of gunfire and nuclear detonation? “In truth,” Mother began, pacing about in front of them on the rickedy pathway, “This Virgil has caused some concern. Some believe his presence is an affront to Atom.”

“Just get to the point,” Hancock snapped irritable, stretching and tapping each of his fingers around the holster of the shotgun on his hip.

Maddie glanced at him, but nodded in agreement, “Why do you even care? He's not one of your people.”

“True, he is not a Child of Atom. But he has sought refuge in Atom's Glow, and Atom granted it. I would not question the will of Atom.”

In Isolde’s eyes sparked anger, and Maddie had a half a mind to shove her helmet off and show her what real fury was. She was holding up time, and each second that ticked by was holding off more and more and more effort. “I mean no harm.” Maddie sighed. “I merely wanna speak with him.”

A tense silence fell over the pair before she gave in. Clenching her eyes shut and inhaling through her nose, mother exhaled, “Fine. Very well. There is a cave to the south-”

Before she could finish Maddie turned in the direction with Hancock in tow and continued on.

“I hate the way they’re looking at you.” She vocalized.

“Heh, never pegged you the jealous type.” John rebutted with a smirk.

“They believe this… Guy is a gift. They practically seem to worship the ground he walks on. So, that tells you a little something. They see you as some holy grail, like him. They worship atom and maybe wanna become… Like you.”

For the life of him, John couldn’t seem to take any of this seriously at all. “Then I’d really be king of the zombies.”

“Can you not make jokes at this moment?” She snapped, turning to glare at him.

He stopped, holding his gun at his middle. “Maddie.” His voice was low and serious now. “So long as I got you at my side, it doesn't matter the capacity. You’re somber enough for the two of us. We’re on our way to Shawn, we’re that much closer to answers and bringing these Institute bastards to their knees.”

“You’re right…” She said, breathing out a sigh.

“Come on, love. Let's get this freakshow on the road.”

Maddie was beside herself with the thoughts of knowing that Brian Virgil was just steps away. She only hoped that they’d finally get inside the Institute. She wondered what would happen when she stepped inside, would they kill her? She’s an unwanted guest in their home, so to say. Who’s to say she wouldn’t die out in a rain of gunfire and poison? She looked over at Hancock who was focused forward.

She’d made a life, and what would become of it? If something were to happen… Could she entrust the responsibility of a child onto John? Especially one that isn’t his?

She didn’t forget about their discussion nights ago, it was hard to. It didn’t take a Nick Valentine to know just how uneasy that idea was to him. If she were to die at the Institute’s hands, would the minutemen take it upon themselves to lead the war? The brotherhood? She hadn’t realized she’d stopped moving until John’s voice, yards in the distance, mumbled something.

He turned on his boots calling, “Did ya battery die?”

The ghoul walked over, but she snapped herself out of it with a, “Sorry.” She was apologetic, getting cold feet know wasn’t the most advanced thing for humanity, its future. It was all on her hands. Hancock wished she could lift up the helmet so he could read what was going on inside her head. Those eyes gave away everything. “You look like you could use this.” He slid over a pack of mentats.

Much to his surprise, the helmet slid off and she popped a few in.

The stench of the world around her was enough to make her gag and puke, but the mentats would help her to focus for sure. “Hey, love…” Hancock reached over and cupped her face turning her youthful face up to his. He could read the agony, the worry, it was aging her a few years. He leaned down and kissed her to reassure her he’d be right there every step of the way.

The couple didn’t speak when she slid the helmet back on just to keep her rad levels down. Exposed to just a small amount wouldn’t do any harm and her body would wash it away on its own.

“I think that’s a deathclaw.” She whispered when she spotted the huge cave opening, but also the sleeping spiky lump curled up in front of it.

“Reminds me of you when you’re sleeping.” Said John lazily, already bringing out his shotgun.

“Funny, funny. You got jokes.” She said with a quiet little laugh.

She knelt down creeping forward, holding a hand back to keep Hancock back just to see if it’d work.

The mutated lizard caught wind of her presence and lifted its head. Maddie swallowed and stared directly into its eyes, challenging its dominance. It rose up quickly to attack but she was able to - another shock - soothe it. “Uh, good… Deathclaw.” She began uncertainly. “Good boy. Sit. Stay…” The creature relaxed from its tense posture.

“How the fuck did you do that?” John demanded, walking over to join her cautiously, still hovering as if waiting for it to attack. It tilted its head, but slowly lay back down again to continue its rest. “Lots of training. We’ll bring him back with us on the way to the vertibird, just in case.” The vaultdweller inhaled slowly and glanced to the broad cave side muttering, “Here we go. No turning back. Brian Virgil, let’s hope to God you help us.”

For once, she actually prayed.

They rounded the corner into the depths following the thin circle of light that just got larger upon speculation. “There’s no rads here.” She said, noticing when her geiger counter went silent. She stepped out of the power armor, and Hancock didn’t ever think he’d get tired of seeing such a tiny woman hop out of such a bulky uniform. “Maddie, hey, look,” He gripped her hips from behind when she stepped ahead stopping her from going further.

She turned to look at him so fucking thankful to have him at her side for this. The anxiety of it just seemed to blossom with each step closer to Virgil. “I know this is… Insanely difficult. Especially for you. This place is unforgivable, but… I love you.” She grinned just enough for him. “I love you, John. Just… Keep hold of my hand, please.”

_Keep me steady._

They were greeted by machine gun turrets, she whipped out her rifle ready to shoot it down, however, it just kept on ticking back and forth, back and forth. Like clockwork. She lowered it into her holster within two steps of the stone entrance until she was face to face with a super mutant. Big and green like the hulk, wearing glasses too small for his head and a lab coat.

“Doctor Virgil?” Maddie whispered in disbelief. Hancock kept a good hold on her hand, tight enough her pale skin whitened from the grip. It was just to keep her grounded in case she thought of running, falling out, or puking all at once.

The mutant replied just as worried and confused, “Yes. That’s me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like the little perk Easter eggs from the game. I had to include two of my favorites in here I couldn't help it. I really hope you guys are enjoying this, I'm sorry for being gone so long.


	17. Chapter 17

It was like a reverse tea party, Hancock thought, watching Maddie and Virgil interacting. She was sitting at one of the tables near the terminal he’d snooped in, civil, yet hopeful. “Why are you so afraid of Kellogg?” She asked as if she didn’t know the answer herself. No one could be fearless like her and take him head on. He rolled his eyes making his thoughts known, “No one could be brave but awfully stupid like you, Maddie.”

The super mutant scientist looked puzzled, his thick eyebrows pulling together glancing from Hancock to her. “Do you have any idea what that man has done? What the Institute pays him to do? It's all off the books stuff. The man is a killer, and he's very good at what he does.” Nibbling on the corner of her lower lip anxiously she mumbled over it, “Relax, big guy. Kellogg won't be coming after you. He's dead.”

“Dead… He’s dead? But how?”

Maddie just looked up at him. “I’ve got the scars and stories to prove it, Doc.”

“And so you. You killed him, eh? Then what do you want with me?”

“I know you were part of it, and you escaped. They sent Kellogg to kill you.”

“How the hell do you know any of that?!”

Hancock was on his feet, metaphorically, considering he’d been standing the whole time. He blockaded between the two of them with the knife at the ready, his other reaching to the .38 magnum she recently supplied him with. Maddie shook her head putting an arm out to stop him. He looked at her like she had lost her holy mind, but she put a finger up at him. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you-”

“No, it doesn't matter. I'm not going back... I can't go back. Look at me!” He paced back and forth rubbing at his balding head snorting in disbelief. “Why are you even here? What do you want?”

“Relax - I just need to know how to get in there.” She practically pleaded.

“Wait, what? Are you serious?”

“I need whatever information you've got. Anything to help me get into the Institute.”

“You want to get in to the Institute? Are you insane?”

Growing agitated Maddie stood up leaning her palms on one of the tables staring down at her feet. It was the one sign of stress Hancock had come to know. She typically did it during meetings between minutemen, or when dealing with Danse. "Maybe I am a little fucking insane!" She snapped.

Adjusting his glasses atop his too small face he cleared his throat, dismissing her bitter attitude. “Never mind how nearly impossible that is, even if you were to succeed it'd almost certainly end in your immediate death.” Stood like a bounding menace, stubborn in his bulky bootstrap refusing to move from the dent he made in the cave floor.

Hearing it vocalized like that, being confirmed by a stranger on the inside solidified the fear Hancock felt. His blood ran cold and the familiar rage was starting to burn in the pit of his lower stomach. “We’ve come to that conclusion already.” Maddie expressed softly, as if hearing it helped the situation. Virgil was obviously concerned.

It didn’t take a genius to know this woman had built some kind of empire and stolen the heart of the ghoul standing at her side. Leaning back with his arms crossed, his posture protective. Anytime she moved, as did he. He lunged when Brian as much as _flinched._ Why would she ever think of giving it up? “What reason could you possibly have for taking that kind of risk?”

“Her son.” John answered for once. The two of them looked at him, mostly because neither expected him to jump out for the conclusion. Maddie nodded solemnly pushing herself to a smooth stance. “I'm trying to find my son. The Institute kidnapped him.”

“Look, I... I didn't know. I mean, I didn't realize that's what you were after.” The scientist shook his head in dismay staring over at the woman with a whole new found sympathy. It wasn’t a surprise, everyone in the Institute knew of the kidnappings. That’s how they got their director years ago, he recalled. “Yeah, the Institute has taken people from the Commonwealth in the past.”

As if they needed to be reminded. Hancock had to console many families that settled in Goodneighbor when their loved ones had been taken in the midst of the night, replaced. Hell, his own brother was recently rumored to be a synth. As much as he hoped for it, the mayor of Diamond City had always been a tight ass. They’d grown up being polar opposites.

Brian moved over to stand at the table on the opposite side of Maddie apprehensive of his next words. “If I help you, you're going to do something for me. Before I was forced to leave, I was working on a serum to reverse this mutation. It could return me to normal. You understand? So if you get in there, I need you to find it in my old office, and bring it to me. I think that's pretty reasonable, in exchange for helping you.”

“Of course there’d be a catch…” Maddie muttered turning her back on him to rub her temples. “Helping people that need help for helping me. Okay, fine.” She huffed looking back at him. “Deal. Fine. I’ll get the serum.”

Smirking the super mutant nodded in approval. “Let’s get to talking about what we need to do.”

The vertibird set down on the familiar striving land of Sanctuary Hills. It’d been a quick minute since she’d been there, and it was flourishing with crops, with tons of settlers. She didn’t miss Sturges running up with guns drawn at the unfamiliar tech landing on their soil. “It’s just me!” Maddie called, hands risen up defensively. “It’s just Maddie- oof!”

The wild haired mechanic yanked her up in the biggest bear hug. “There’s our favorite general! Where’ve ya been?” His southern accent was thick, and she had no idea how much she truly missed it until now. Her smile was just as warm as his welcome but much more heartfelt. She had so much on her mind and the schematics weighed her pockets down as much as a bag full of caps.

“Saving the commonwealth of course.” A familiar voice broke through through reverie of the crowd drawing her attention out to face wherever it came from. “Leaving me out of the fun, though.”

“D-Deacon!” She stuttered in her shrieking excitement launching herself at him. Her favorite synth spy caught her with a delighted laugh, catching the confused stare of Hancock in the process. “What, ya jealous?” He teased, setting her down to shake his hand. The mayor just shook his head asking, “Why are you always at the right place at the right time?” He wondered, Maddie joining his side once more.

“It’s my job, boss.” The railroad spy stretched his arms above him with a yawn, itching the back of his head as he looked around. “I haven’t seen her in a while. Word reached around that you met the Children of Atom.”

“Don’t tell me you were there.” Maddie moaned. “I don’t ever have any privacy with you.”

“Yell at Des, not me.” He countered. His eyes didn’t miss the blueprints poking out of her clothing. The general’s eyes popped to life when she followed his gaze and whipped out of the way before he could jack it. “I spy with my little eye…” He sang, jumping again and yanking it out.

“Hey!” She cried, jumping to grab it back from him when he held it up out of her reach.

Hancock, amused with the display, walked around to take a look at the place. It’d changed a lot since he’d been there. The holey homes had since been replaced and music played from over loudspeakers on the streets. People were busy at work harvesting, a few hanging around at the bar stalls in an open space where a ruined house used to remain.

So, of course, he helped himself to prosper the settlement and enjoy some jet and whiskey.

“A Molecular Relay? Don’t you think this is something you should have come to the Railroad for?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, Deacon. I owe loyalty to my men first, and… Sturges can fix anything and everything. You guys are always here to help too. I’m gonna need all of you guys for this. Do you think you could team up for me? Just once?” Her eyes were wide like saucers reflecting his face back at him. Not even he could resist the “puppy eyes”.

“Anything for you, Charmer. That name is fitting, by the way.”

She just chuckled leaning her head on his shoulder. There was silence as the two sat in the middle of a crop field watching daily life go by. Traders, friends, family. Maddie felt the impending doom so close she could feel its breath on the back of her neck. “I’m scared.” She admitted softly to Deacon.

He was quiet too, because it wasn’t like him to get so sappy and sentimental right away. “And here I was wearing my ass-kicking boots. Oh well.” He drew her in by her shoulders saying a lot more softly, “I got to say, you make it look easy. But you have some built in advantages. If a human in the Railroad slips up then they expose friends and loved ones to danger. You're safe from that.”

“Well, I guess I'm a little lucky then.” Maddie replied having to fight off the emotions threatening to overcome her again. Getting tender wasn’t what she was needing in this time. She had to be strong for Deacon, for Nick, Hancock, Shaun… Her family. Family. And here she was thinking she’d fucking lost it all. She spotted the red trench coat from a mile away, and the familiar posture of a John Hancock making his way over.

He caught the expression in her face before she could cover it with a smile, he trusted Deacon with her. After all, out of all her settlements, this is the one she guarded the most. Even if danger did break through, there was no doubt they could handle themselves. “Hey there, mayor. Come to steal your girl back from me?” He gave him the side eye as he kicked his beer back, tugging her close into his side to say, ‘no way’.

“Don’t worry, wouldn’t dream of getting involved.” He sat there on the other side of her with a knee tucked up to his chest, arm slung over it with a flask in hand. Maddie took it to swig from it, and he breathed out a chuckle. Deacon’s eyebrows shot up a moment. “Who-hoa-hoa, you let her steal your liquor _and_ drink it, Mayor Hancock? You must be feeling deep.” Her cheeks flared up earning a sharp shove from the vault dweller, laughter chorused around them.

Her laugh was pure as virgin mary. It was full of belly, lungs, of air. It wasn’t the short ragged forced one he’d come to know. There was joy under the seriousness in her face. Feeling his eyes she turned to look at him, and goddamn, he had no clue how he ever managed to get so lucky with her. The jet took the best time to kick in, he could see her in slow motion.

The way her long dark hair fell behind her shoulders when her head turned to face him, the way her teeth reflected the sky and sun above. Her eyes as deep as the water they’d tread but as chocolatey sweet as candy. Her thick eyelashes brushing on her cheeks when she blinked or slept. The sunkissed flush on her scarred yet smooth skin, bruises only coloring the most perfect parts of her. She collected his chin in her fingertips and their eyes met.

He’d never ever tired of the fire she lit up in him. Every worry forgotten, because in her eyes, he saw a future for the two of them. Their lips collided and he melted right into her like butter in her palms. Slick as oil, smooth as her skin after a shower. When she pulled back he slid his hand into her hair just to pull her right back, tasting her mouth, tasting her. She tasted of freshly brewed whiskey and tarberries, but smelled like gunpowder and soap.

“I love you.” He whispered to her, once time seemed to collect itself.

She stared at him with those catlike eyes, but their width was as big as the moon in the sky. All things had been destroyed when the world ended, all but that. Her eyes were his moon, guiding him like the stars through the night. Shining so bright when everything around him collapsed. “You promise?” She whispered with trembling lips.

“I promise with every pinkie I got left. What we got, goddamn, I said it could only compare to about eighty percent of chems. But you, woman, have me so high I don’t even think touching them would ever have the same effect.” Giggling, she threw her arms around his neck pressing her nose into his cheek. “You’re mine.” She whispered, kissing his face.

“For as long as you want me and more,” He swore, forgetting the snickering Deacon watching the exchange. His strong arms were around her holding her close, for one of the last times. That was the last thing on his mind. He’d make every single moment with her count. Breathing out a sigh she said, “We’ll get to work on our shit tomorrow. I wanna night with just you and I. No scary monsters, no threat of life.”

She sat up on an elbow and he just smirked up at her. “Let’s get you drunk tonight, princess.”

The sun was setting, and Maddie had somehow got some of the old grills around to work again. Deacon and Codsworth were busy barbecuing while Maddie told her tales of heroism. Nick, Preston, and even Ellie, were sitting at a round table under an awning like some old school summer party photo in a catalog. Maddie was leaning against Hancock, one arm lazily draped around her the other holding the neck of the bottle of whiskey.

There were plenty of other options, even a few mixed drinks he offered to make her. “Mama raised no bitch.” She drawled, yanking the bottle from him with the most sexiest smirk he’d ever seen. Oh, he met his match, and that was one of the most hottest sights to him. She chugged mouthfuls like it was water, and she was loosey goosey for sure.

“Hard to believe a little ol’ Dame like you brought the commonwealth to its knees.” Nick said, raising up a beer to her as well. Deacon second that with a gleeful snort, his eyes twinkling with deviousness behind the thick glasses when he snickered, “Hancock too.” Usually, the mayor would glare him down. Chuck the closest thing at him. Maddie made a face, but didn’t deny any of it.

“Well, unlike you, chameleon,” He drawled, tipping the bottle back for a swig. Maddie swiped it from his mouth before he could and drank some herself. She shot him an apologetic grin when he took it back pursing his lips at her playfully. “As I was saying, unlike you, Chameleon… I don’t gotta change my appearance for someone to fall in love with me. I got nothing to hide with her.”

“Ditto.” She choked out over the burning in her throat, sliding down on his legs to sit against them instead now. Her head was getting heavy and she had a hard time focusing. Everyone chorused in taunts and well natured giggles at the vulnerable goofy general. She’d been so serious, it was hard to forget there was still someone human beneath the brawny personality.

Rubbing her face with the heel of her palm she slurred, “Think ‘m a little drunk.” She tilted her head up to look up at Hancock, his hat blocking out the glare of the setting sun. God, she thought when his eyes met her with an expression of amusement, she really did love him. She wanted to fight the feeling tooth and nail, but he was her best friend. Her favorite pain in the ass, her safe haven…

Her smile went from playful to tender within second, her hard eyes softening to plus pillows the scary ghoul wanted to dive into and bounce off of. “I love you, John.” She mused. From the corner of her eyes she saw Nick’s mouth turning up at the corners. He turned those bright lit up eyes to Ellie. She noticed they were hand in hand, and she felt… Calm. Okay. Whole. Nick was happy with the woman he rightfully deserved, he’d be all right if something happened to her. She had him to fight at her aid, Preston too.

It was like leaving high school, she thought. Except she was gonna die at the hands of the Institute, and no amount of letters sent would be returned. She took a long look at everyone’s faces, memorizing the way their voices bounced off into the abyss of the commonwealth. All different, but human all the same. They were all able to feel, and love, to cry, be sad… This was what togetherness was. Each person was a member to her family.

She could cry now, imagining the gaping hole she’d leave behind. Preston leading the Minutemen with unshed sobs as he commanded her men at the side of the railroad and the Brotherhood. She’d be another reason for victory. They’d fight and win in her memory. The final nail in their coffins. Hancock slowly dropped behind her, hands on her shoulders rubbing them in slow circles. “Lighten up, love.” His gruff voice whispered in her ear. He sensed the change in her vibes, saw the rigid cramps trailing from the bend in her knuckles to the way her eyes just narrowed that little bit. Her brow furrowed and her breathing became methodical, robotic. She was thinking too deep. 

Chills sprung up down her spine like always, and she simply covered his fingers with her palm. What would become of him? She could see Hancock slaughtering mercilessly in his fit of hurt and rage. Jacked up on as much buffout as his body would possible allow. Throats slashed every which way. He’d be the most feral ghoul that any of them would witness. He wouldn’t stop until their flesh stained him, the floor. There’d be no survivors.

Then… Then after. She’d like to think that he’d continue on, find love again. Even she knew, there wasn’t any way he could. Or would. He’d be even more of a mess, and… He’d probably end up taking his life successfully.

She inhaled sharply tightening her hold on him in sheer terror. It was loud enough for all eyes to turn on her. “You good, Charmer?” Deacon asked, eyebrows shooting up. He was slouching back lazily in the lawnchair. She nodded, though that was so far from the truth. She didn’t know if it was the combination of the alcohol and mentats, but fuck. Everything was so much more clearer. “I… I need a minute.” She whispered, breaking away from the group with a tumble.

Preston had a hold on her arm to keep her steady until she got over the large curb of the destroyed roads. Smothered by the dark thoughts and realization that she was going to _the_ Institute. The ones who enslaved poor defenseless synths they created, the ones who injected FEV viruses into people as some psychological torment and punishment.

She knew Hancock was toeing right behind her, trying to be stealthy, but even he had that tipsy tumble to him. So, useless, in retrospect. Once she was inside the little house she turned the moment John clicked the door shut. “You’re gonna keep going.” She told him the moment she collapsed back on the couch, face serious. “When I go to the Institute. If I die, you’re gonna keep going. Long after the Institute is gone. You got me?” She demanded.

The ghoul stood complacent leaning back on the door, arms loosely twined over his chest. He didn’t want to confess he’d been thinking of that more and more, especially since they’d gotten the answers they’d been searching for. “I’ll keep going as long as I can push myself to.” He replied. She shook her head stubbornly flaunting her hands over her bended knees in defeat. She bowed her head under the curtain of hair clasping her fingers together, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

“John, no. That’s not what I mean. You’ll live for me. You’ll use your pent up rage, you’ll lead Goodneighbor unashamedly. You’ll collaborate with the minutemen, you’ll achieve everything I couldn’t as far as remaining goes.”

A tense silence fell between them. Breathing a heavy sigh he knelt on one knee in front of her. Gripping her chin he tilted it up to stare into the watering chocolate. “You're not gonna die, you hear me?” There was gravel roughness in his voice like dragging an bare knee across it on a dirt bike. “You’re Madeleine fucking Preston. You’ll go, you’ll conquer. You’ll bring Shaun home. The moment you step foot back on our nasty soil, we’ll attack. We’ll give them no goddamn leg to stand on. No mercy.”

He said it so fervently, it gave her hope. Hope that she’d make it out, she’d finally have a life with her son, and… and a spouse. Him. It wasn’t Nate, and… She’d completely accepted that. She’d fight to make this a safe place for her son - and everyone else’s kids. She cupped his face kissing him sloppily but with just as much heart as always. “I don’t deserve you.” She whispered in a wrecked sort of sob. She sucked in her lips wiping under her eyes with her knuckles. She didn’t wanna cry in front of him, but he shook his head, kissing one of the stray ones.

“I’ve told you form the beginning, beautiful. I don’t deserve you. I can’t think of many things that would - or could, sum up any of this… But I’m so goddam glad I have you. I’ll never let you go, Maddie.” He drew her in close, sniffing the familiar scent of her hair when he buried his face into it. She clung to him like he’d fade, and for once, she cried in front of him. On him.

It was taking all the strength in him not to do the same. So many emotions were flooding through him at once, and the bitter realization that there was such a high chance of her not making it back to him. The sensation was enough to drive a man so goddamn wild. “I got ya…” He mumbled to her, kissing the side of her head repeatedly. “I’d say it isn’t the end of the world. It really isn’t, that’s come and went. We’ll be okay.”

There was a stifled form of laughter on his shirt now covered in a puddle of tears from her. “I got you…” Hancock continued, now smoothing circles into her back. “I don’t need much else, Maddie. Nothing to lose but each other.” Though he knew, Maddie had a lot left to lose than he did. Hell, the cool dude act could only get such a broken man so far. But with her there… With her, it would make all the difference.

Sniffing, Maddie whispered, “Did I ruin the mood?”

“You’re a sappy drunk.” Hancock chuckled in return, “Never thought a wicked princess like you would cry at the first few drops of liquor.”

She narrowed her eyes into damp slits up at him, “It was the mentats too.”

“I think you hold in too much shit. Catches up before you know it.”

The dark haired woman sat up on her own now, rubbing at her chin. “I’m kind of embarrassed to go out there now. We were having such a good time.”

He pulled her hair over her shoulder playing with the newly brushed through tresses, admiring how it really did accentuate her skin tone. “Then we don’t join them right now.” His voice was digging into the sensual growl she loved. “We haven’t had real time alone since we got here…” _I wanna take in every single second of you, your essence, your time, before you disappear._

She opened her mouth to respond, but her reply was cut short. They didn’t have all the time in the world. No, they didn’t have just another second to waste. She had a feeling that’s what he was getting at. “I don’t think…” Hancock stirred, twirling a silky strand of hair around his finger, “I’ve ever told you just how much I really love your hair.”

“It gives you something to hold onto.” Maddie felt the butterflies tingling in her stomach - as well as other places. She never knew that praise could - or would, genuinely get her off. Never thought a lick of it. Until now.

His dark eyes twinkled with that sick pervy delight of his. “That, and… Your body. It’s like every single piece of you was made by some sculptor who got high enough to reach the heavens. And that’s where you come in.” He began kissing down her shoulder, dragging the already loose tank top strap down her shoulder slowly with his teeth.

Her breath released in a shudder, licking her lips when her heart picked up rapidly. “Yeah?” She whispered. “Tell me more.”

She sounded dusted already, he couldn’t blame her. He had that effect. His lips dipped down below her collarbone mumbling against it, “I love your body. It’s fucking perfect. Curves in all the right places, your thighs perfectly chiseled…” His palms brushed up the inside of her powerful thighs. “Strong and mighty, they’re even better when they’re around me.”

She just grinned wrapping her legs around his waist, leaning back on her elbows with a challenging crooked delight on her face. “Why don’t you show me, daddy? I like hearing how I make your cock just rock fucking solid.” There were no other words for her, they were lost in the passionate wrestling of bodies, her sounds drowning out the music around them. The slapping of their skin together, the pounding of her hips on his when he drove deeper, harder.

She couldn’t ever get enough of this. Of the fire and ice, and the dual match of the hell fire they produced when they were together. Her hair cascading down her back, tickling him with each bob of her head. The way her breasts bounced from the force of their movements, two fluid hearts moving in one single frame. A single body.

“Tell me you love me.” Maddie panted in his ear, desperately grabbing at his shoulders when she rocked on his length, desperate to find strength in her upper body because with the way her body was shuddering, she had not an ounce left in her.

Biting along her neck he grunted, “I love you. I always have.” He dropped his hands to cup that perfectly plump ass of hers his palms slick with the sweat beading and dripping down her skin. “You gonna cum for me, huh?” Much to her surprise his rough hand found her little bundle of nerves that halted her in all movements. Her thighs clenched around his body, pants stuttering to powerful pleas when the pleasure toiled over like a hurricane.

Her nails raked down his back like a deathclaw, her muscles clenching and quivering around him in a whole new sensation. “Nnnngah!” She keened, coming with a force so powerful she had to cling to him full force to keep from falling apart. Her body jerked forward and she buried her face in the crook of her neck with a yell. Her legs were jelly, not able to process a goddamn thing around the two of them. Only him, and what he was doing to her.

She felt the warmth pool between the two of them when Hancock fertilized her once again. She yanked off his cock too overwhelmed from all of it, desperately begging breathlessly for mercy. He held her close when she came down from her high, dark hair covering the stark white of her back and his tanned skin.

“I really, really do love you, John… I don’t have a clue where I’d be without you.”

“I feel the same way, love.” He said, voice smooth like the whiskey they’d chugged down together earlier. She didn’t wanna join the others. Not with this newfound exhaustion creeping up like a snake, striking when she least expected it. “Will… You hold me? Just like this for a little while longer?”

There was only the budging of his cheek on hers when he nodded. “Of course, kitten.” She fell asleep against him soon after. Hancock draped his jacket across her shoulders. It was practically a blanket on her anyways, and it smelled of him. Gunpowder and lead and whiskey and, undoubtedly, sex. But that was his grungy smell she’d come to adore so much.

He lay her down on the mattress little by little just in case he accidentally woke her. She curled up under the worn to hell scarlett coat with a content sigh. He went to find her some food for when she woke, because living off of water and stimpaks would only get you so far.

Expert’s knowledge.


	18. Chapter 18

“You can always come with me ya know. This relay will be here when you get back.” Hancock said, the gruffness of his voice such a soothing growl to her ears. Fuck, she could listen to him talk all day. Maddie smiled sadly, hating having to say goodbye even for a few hours so he could go deal with his mayoral duties in Goodneighbor. “I have to stay.” She responded, cupping his face in her palms. He leaned into it just right and her heart gave a violent pull. She kissed him, so soft and deep. Tongues stroking over one another lovingly, lips tasting of midnight settling around them.

She didn’t wanna pull away from him, the way the moon sat behind the navy clouds shining its light right down on the ghoul’s figure. His eyes almost melted into the matching sky twinkling like stars. Inhaling slowly, Hancock just forced a tiny smile clearly not happy with having to leave her behind. “Promise me you won’t go until I’m here to see you off. Don’t go runnin’ off on me, Mads.” She kissed him a final time like wax sealing a letter. “Go do your mayoral duties.”

She watched him retreat with just his trusty shotgun in one arm and his knife there on his waist banging against it as he walked. There was a bitter taste crawling up her throat turning to face the partly completed metal contraption sitting in the middle of sanctuary. Hancock would only be gone for a few days max, but this would be completed within that amount of time. She wanted to waste no time to get to Shaun, and if the decision arose, she’d take the risk to leave before she planned.

Brushing her fingers through her dark hair she inhaled through her nose tasting the rads in the air as the thick storm clouds came through like a rolling tide. Maddie picked up the scraps of metal and a hammer, looking over to the cottage Sturges was sleeping in and got to work herself.

For countless days and nights Maddie never gave up on the relay. Electrocuted, sweating in the too hot June sun, and blistering her hands until exhaustion called her home, Maddie persisted like the stubborn woman she was. Deacon took turns keeping watch when it happened, and occasionally pitching in. So he says. “This doesn’t look any different than when I fell asleep earlier.” She said flatly, eyeballing the spy with an expression of disbelief.

He just shrugged. “That’s cause your eyes aren’t what they used to be, Charmer.”

She’d taken enough Buffout to last her a lifetime, and the crash was always so heavy she could sleep through a monsoon. The relay was just about finished thankfully, but one of the dishes still had some minor flaws to work on. She could hardly stay up on her feet from how physically and mentally worn she’d become. Furrowing his eyebrows worriedly, he looked her over once. “You really don’t look too good. When is the last time you got some sleep?” He asked.

Truthfully, Maddie’s hours and days were running together. “Couldn’t be more than a day or two.”

“Or three.” He interjected.

“Four.” She said in finality.

Shaking his head he released her fingers from the handle of the screwdriver, nodding to her house not too far off. “Go get some sleep.” Maddie frowned, opening her mouth to argue but he held up a hand to stop her right in her tracks. “Not uh. This will be done by morning. You can’t go after your son looking like the walking dead.”

“I do not look like Hancock…” She muttered, but obeyed nonetheless.

She dropped her sweaty tank top by the door, kicking her shorts along the hallway, shoes discarded. They looked like breadcrumbs leading to Hansel and Gretel. Cool air from the makeshift AC hit her sunkissed skin like an ice cold blessing and she groaned gratefully. Her face went pillow first, the fan blowing goosebumps over her bare skin. She was covered in dirt, grease, and oil. The pure filth of all her hard work and she knew she didn’t smell good whatsoever.

She barely registered it, knowing if she was in saner mind, she’d shower it all off. Sturges helped her make an AC out of an old fan and copper coils and goddamn she couldn’t be any more grateful than she was right now. If she had to be honest, sleeping without Hancock was nearly impossible unless she was wore down to the very floor. She tossed and turned all night overcome with every thought possible.

His warmth became a safety blanket, kind of like his jacket. She took up a new habit of stealing his redcoat from him and wearing it like it was made for her. It’d been tailored to fit him but he hardly seemed to mind. It licked the ground when she walked, sleeves dropping a few inches over her hands and the shoulders sank down above her elbow. He smiled when she stepped out a few nights ago wearing only that and nothing else.

She tried being sexy, but he just laughed and laughed. “What’s so funny?” She demanded, straddling his waist picking the sleeves up to rest her hands on his stomach. He shook his head just throwing her against himself in the tightest hug yet. “You’re too goddamn cute sometimes. You drive me wild, human.” Then they made love until the neighbors knew his name.

Snuggling into the bed she gave into the abyss of sleep much to her disappointment holding his pillow in hopes he’d return soon.

John was so happy to be stepping back into his town, but it didn’t feel like home right away. There were visions of him before she came along. Leaning on every counter flirting with whoever came his way, taking a few of them home. They couldn’t ever compare to Maddie. There was still a pile of nuclear material burned into the bricks of the entrance from where Finn lay disposed at her feet. To think that would be the woman he couldn’t ever think to live without. A general and a mayor, what a team to beat.

But he felt a heavy disappointment to leave again after meeting up with Daisy, catching up on their affairs. Charlie asking about her too. The ol’ Chuck swore he couldn’t love anyone, but he swore in that little optic he saw a twinkle. He shot the shit, talked to some of the new drifters in town, got to know them. “I’m a travelin’ circus act.” He laughed, but it was the truth. “I’m the monkey, my ring leader is somewhere outta town waiting for me to come back.”

Fuck, how he missed his little she devil. He was always expecting some snarky reply from her when he shot another raider. He kept looking over his shoulder expecting her to be there. It was a lonely realization that in due time, he’d have to adjust to being without her for a while when she disappeared into the Institute. But he was on his way back to her. Home is wherever she is. He practically ran there jumping for joy when the Red Rocket prodded the dawn morning sky. “Fuck yeah!” He panted in delight. He skid to a stop right at the beginning of the bridge seeing bright electric blue sparks on top of the most _biggest_ building.

The relay must be finished, he thought much to his dismay. He continued into Sanctuary Hills looking around for any sign of life. It didn’t surprise him to see Sturges with his hands proudly on his denim clad hips in front of some sort of control panel. Hearing his boot crunch behind him on the rocky ground, Sturges greeted him with a firm oil slicked handshake. “Hey there, mayor.”

The ghoul blew out an impressed whistle at the generators circling it and the crossing wires. “She’s a beauty.” He commented, meaning every word. It was an impressive eye catcher for sure. “You think it’ll work?” The mechanic fixed the goggles on his face to look up at it, pursing his lips together in thought. “Worse comes to worse it blows out or explodes. Here’s to only hoping all our ass busting work isn’t going to waste.”

Hancock nodded in agreement, now looking around for his partner in crime. “Maddie sleeping?” He asked, looking at him again from beneath the shadow of his tricorn hat. “Had to damn near force her. She’s been working on this damned thing night to dawn since you’ve been gone. I’m pretty set that this thing is gonna work because she missed not a damn thing on this schematic.” The ghoul snorted with a crooked smile. “Doesn’t surprise me.”

There was a comfortable silence between the two as they marveled at the baby they all helped make. He turned with only a pat on the back to Sturges who turned to wave him goodbye as he turned to meet his misses. The door creaked open to silence, clothes strewn along the way. Hancock just grinned knowing that a very beautifully nude Maddie awaited him, and that was better than any kind of present he could receive.

She was laying atop the blankets on her stomach a leg hiked up hugging the pillow to her head. His pillow lying there next to her freshly crinkled from where she was holding onto it like cuddling a teddy bear. He slipped out of his own boots shrugging his jacket and sash off. He hung it up on a coat hanger knowing that Maddie would run off with it if she got to it first. Her hair was tangled and messy, dirt covering the parts of her where her clothes weren’t guarding her. Drool dribbled down her chin, mouth agape with each snore she purred out. “Sleeping beauty at its finest.” He muttered in amusement laying down there next to her.

He pulled her close to him knowing she’d been far too gone to wake up at the first sign of movement. Even in her sleep she recognized him, tense shoulders relaxing the moment they pressed up against the familiarity of his warm chest. Her ear pressed right above his heart and she sighed, nuzzling it just the slightest. The ghoul didn’t wanna shake her too much, she was resilient, but god help him if he woke her after she hadn’t slept for too long.

His fingers brushed against the wooden pad of the nightstand grabbing her brush to help free the tangles of her head. Her hair flowed long in deep waves, and he hated to frizz it up. He understood she got anxious when her hair was too gross, and her face was too chubby. To be part of a world left after the bombs drop and still have her worry about simple things like that made him still feel… Human.

Mundane.

Her arm draped around his middle, he couldn't help but to trace up the stark blue veins running up to meet her elbow and all but disappear. Her skin prickled at the touch. It was simple things like that John missed. The blush of color running to his cheeks when something embarrassed him. He had no shame now so even as a human, that wouldn’t happen too often. He always wanted her to know just how undone she made him.

Past the rabid fucking and the comfort of two bodies lying together. He wanted her to see how her touch lit him up, how it made shivers run down his spine when she simply spoke his name, angry or not. To feel her fingers through his hair while he lays on her chest all cuddled up like a baby himself. Would she still love him even if he wasn’t… ghoulish? If she found him beautiful now, would she thought of him as gorgeous if his eyes were still brown instead of full demonic ones?

Would she have loved his dark head of hair and the lush lips he once bore? He had no reason to miss the person he used to be. Every now and again he’d see that face when he saw his reflection and felt a deep shame that ran through his system. To be that coward of a person to watch an innocent man die… The coward who'd let all those Ghouls from Diamond City die. Who was too scared to protect his fellow drifters from Vic and his boys.

_"Turns out it was just me running from somethin' else in my life.” He told her, cigarette dangling from his mouth staring up at the sky. He could feel her eyes on him, not even the fire could have lit up those pretty eyes anymore than they already were. It was the first time he told someone besides Daisy about all of this, and she took it to heart._

_Maddie scooted closer to him, this was before any romance ever got sparked between them. She kept her reserves for some of it, but her words rung out all the same. “You may have run, but you always ran for a reason, Hancock.”_

_He snapped his head to stare at her out of disbelief. His eyes grew a little wide which made her eyebrow cock up and an amused smirk grow on her face. He certainly hadn’t expected her to say something along the lines of that. “Been trying to convince myself of that for a long time, but hearing that coming from someone like you…” He began in the familiar drawl. She grew quiet, serious, when he paused._

_She reached a hand over to rest her fingers right over his in the Boston dirt. “I don't know if you understand what that means to me.”_

This woman here, loved him despite all that. She saw whatever good in him he couldn’t even think to see in himself. He’d done a lot of boneheaded things. One of them was turning away after they rescued Nick. Seeing the anger bubble up from wherever she'd been burying it at. He took it more personal than he should have. Suddenly waking up feeling like yesterday everything was okay, having a home, green pastures and a fenced in backyard. To waking up to your son kidnapped, husband murdered, and being tossed out in a world like this with no sort of rule book.

He’d seen her die once, and he didn’t wanna go through it again. Here she was, asleep in his arms, getting ready to throw herself into harm’s way. He wasn’t sure he was ready to become a father, considering he didn’t have very much recollection of his pa too much. It was eating at him more than he’d like to admit. There’d be no telling how Shaun would take to having a ghoul stepfather. Father. If he was so young, maybe he didn’t think he had one. Or a mother. There really isn’t any telling.

After the bristles glided through her hair like blades through paper, he set it back aside replacing it with his fingers instead. Sunlight was peeking through the thick raggedy curtains she set up. He thought of waking her, but she needed all the sleep she could get before she took this journey. He’d have to let her, as much as he wanted to put it off. The heaviness in the room was creeping its way in despite him trying not to focus on it as much as Maddie had been. He’d made jokes, tried to keep her smiling, because he didn’t see it enough.

Now, now… He felt his heart splintering when he heard the hum of the machine outside. The moment she awoke she’d waste no time and leave, having him here. He knew that. She wasn’t meant to sit too still. He’d built homes for the homeless, fixed up shambles for families of settlements with her. He saw how she flitted back and forth repairing, bargaining, destroying to repurpose. She’d done it to him. Made him a better man. She made him actually… Live. He was still drinking and dosing up, don’t get him wrong.

The need just dwindled down some. Any bad part of him she loved enough. Now, he just did it purely for fun. To relax and unwind, not to escape. He had a feeling that would change soon.

He hung his hat on the corner of the headboard to lay there with her. It might be one of the lasts.

She had no perception of time when she woke up the following day. However, she did get the smell of gunpowder and whiskey, feeling a thumping heart up against her ear. Hancock. She sat up abruptly until a pain flared up all around her head hammering on it like a steel fist. “Oh no…” She moaned, grabbing at it. The come down from the buffouts weren’t always easy, she had so much to do and couldn’t waste time dawdling over a headache.

“Well, good morning sunshine.”

She’d never ever tire of hearing those words, hearing him. “You see the brand on the Brahmin that stamped my head last night?” She managed a still tired smile, and he snorted. “That’s my line.” He sat up in time for her arms to throw around his neck in a tight hug. “I missed you.” She whispered so softly, her arms locking up that much when he hugged her curvy little waist. “I must still be dreamin’, look at you…” He kissed the side of her head when she moved back just to look at him.

She knew she was a sight to see, drool dried on her cheek, dirt smudging every crevice. He still looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. “You need to shower, love.” He commented, playing with the ends of her hair. She flushed, nodding slowly in agreement. “Yeah, I’ve been-”

He put a finger to her lips shushing her. “Busy.” He finished. He looped his fingers through hers asking, “Why don’t we just shower then? Let me make you feel as pretty as you deserve. Then I can show you your surprise.” Maddie climbed off the bed eyeballing him suspiciously. “... It’s not another drugged out fiend you convinced to dance like a chicken, is it?” She asked slowly.

Hancock chuckled with a shake of his bare head. “That was funny before. But no, just wait and see.” He pulled her in behind him losing his trousers and white ruffled button down. He discarded it on the floor with the rest of hers in the middle of the hallway. The water pressure went up, she realized when she cut it on. “I didn’t do it.” Maddie muttered in wonder, watching the faucet rain down in a more powerful jet.

“You have Sturges to thank for that.” He replied when he got in. “He was up this morning first thing when I got here. He’s always fixing somethin’.” Nodding in agreement, she followed suit shivering in pleasure when the warm water danced over her skin. It was deplorable how much filth came off just from that alone. She felt oddly… bashful, when they did things like this. He’d seen her naked plenty of times, but there was such a soft side to her ghoul she couldn’t get enough of.

He was admiring her, truly. Seeing her thick eyelashes clump together and dripping. Her long hair slick black tendrils tickling right above her ass. She picked up the bar of soap to wash herself but Hancock caught it. “Let me take care of you.” He clarified tederly. She bit the corner of her lower lip pulling her hair over her shoulder when she turned her back to him. She felt the warming palms of his hand from over the slick suds forming on her back. He used his hands to spread them from her hips, to her stomach.

He was so slow and careful marveling at the smooth feeling of it. She knew it was something he missed about being human. Soft. Not so tough. He was memorizing every curve from her torse to her belly button where the little bit of plumpness met his fingertips. “You have any idea just how perfect you are?” His breath tickled the back of her neck when he spoke, palms tracing around the lumps of her breasts.

She swallowed thickly, nipples perking up when his fingers just brushed along them innocently. “Perfection isn’t real.” She replied. “It’s all about perception.”

“From where I’m standin’, you’re perfection.”

Using the concoction Mama Murphy created for shampoo, he grabbed the lighter lavender bar from the little hole in the wall. It smelled of tarberries, mutfruit, and melon. He massaged it into her dark tresses and fuck did it feel good on her pounding head. He watched her relax, seeing her thick lashes resting on her cheekbones when she smiled. She looked back at him and he kissed her ever so softly, it felt… Good. Sad.

She pulled back to look at him and caught the look he had been trying to hide for so long. His mouth was set in a solemn line, and shadows casted across his face. For that split second, it took for her to catch on. She cut the water off wrapping herself in a robe nearby that was hanging on the wall. She passed him the matching one, a hopeful crooked grin on her face hoping he’d wear it. “Please?” She batted her eyelashes much to his dismay.

Looking from the fluffy cotton, to her, he took it and bore it on.

She was shrugging on some pretty panties back in the bedroom when she called, “What’s this surprise you’re wanting to show me?” She re-appeared in the doorway of the living room wringing her hair with a shirt. “Well. You might wanna just look outside.” He took her hand opening the front door exposing the fully working Molecular Relay. There was a mix of emotions running through her. She jerked her eyes to his face, searching. She’d been so ready for this moment. Now it was here…

She slammed the door shut immediately, staring at it. “Maddie, what’s goin’ on in that pretty little head of yours?” He moved in front of her tilting her face up. “It’s now or never. It’s time to get your boy back.” There was fear written all over her expression. There was a tight line dancing between her eyebrows and tears threatening to pool in her eyes, heart pushing up against her ribcage harder and harder like a pack of brahmin trying to push through the gates. She wanted to say she couldn’t do it, she damn near did. She had no other choice, but she wasn’t prepared for the aftermath. John knew very well there was such a strong chance they’d kill her. But now they had a way to get in if it happened. “We got a plan, Mads.” He whispered to her, kissing her forehead. “You gotta boy to rescue.”

“I know, it’s just… John, It’s…”

“What is it, Maddie?”

_It's all my worst nightmares come true. Leaving you, adventuring to the unknown alone for the second time in my life. I don't want to. I'm scared, i'm restless. I don't want to die when the best thing I could ever have is right here, but I feel like I have to choose for my boy. He comes first before anyone, and I hope to fuck you understand. Why my son? Why Nate? Why did some twisted up place like the Institute choose my son when I was just as good to use? I'd choose me over him any day._

She spoke not a word of the tumbling thoughts in her head, knowing she'd come off so much weaker than she was. The two just shared a glance, and she wish for once, she didn't have to go through this. Sure, had Nate not been murdered, she'd never met John, or Nick... The two most important people to her. Nick was a second father to her. He was always there when she needed, she murdered the human Nick's perpetrator he was after for so long. And still, he loved her like she was his own. Hancock helped her to feel alive, to see past the disgusting ways of the post war world. He lit up a fire under her feet that kept her running and running and running like her battery would never die. Her teeth scraped along her lower lip anxiously. 

Like always he just brushed his thumb along it, releasing it with a gentle pop. "Kiss me, please." Her voice was hoarse from the tears she refused to shed. This wasn't a time for weakness. the weight of everyone was on her shoulders. He clenched their lips together harder than he intended. She tasted the desperation from him, felt his hands grasping at her waist his fingertips naturally dipping into the curves of her dimples on her back. He could cry, and yell, and throw himself in front of a train all at once rather than her taking this risk.

She kissed him swiftly whispering, “I love you." on his lips. 

Shaking his head, he just said in the familiar low rasp of his, "This isn't goodbye."

With her chin high dressed in the familiar black leather jumpsuit, hair in a braid running down her back, Maddie slipped out of their home. Armed to the hilt Hancock was reminded of the first day she stepped foot in Goodneighbor and damned them both. Sturges, Preston, and Hancock were standing near the console, seeing her off. “If you don't hear from me within four days…” She began when she reached the three, looking each of them in the eyes individually, “You go in guns blazing. Take this motherfucker down.”

Preston nodded gravely, looking from her to Hancock. He stood so rigid and silent, it was like someone replaced him with a certified institute statue. She walked over cupping her palm to his cheek. He covered the back of her fingers with a trembling palm. She’d seen him cry only once, and that was when he almost lost her. She could see them threatening to spring now, but surrounded by men, his pride wouldn’t let him.

“You avenge me, John.” She said sternly, low enough for only him to hear. “I don’t care who it is. Or what. I want you to face whoever runs this and take them down yourself. I don’t care what Nick says, or Preston. You may not take orders from me, but as your lover, and your crime fighting partner, you listen to this.”

He pecked each of her fingertips only nodding. “And John? I love you. Never ever doubt that, and please keep that in mind. Please.”

He snorted dryly whispering huskily, “I love you too, dollface. Knock ‘em dead.”

Regretfully pulling away she stepped into the middle of the relay ring, inhaling the nerves and exhaling them gone.

She felt determination now.

“Mama is coming Shaun.”

In a blistering shocking blue beam, she was gone.

In that same second Hancock felt his heart shatter at his feet.


	19. Chapter 19

Whatever Maddie expected when she arrived here, it wasn’t this. _“Are you sure someone lives here?”_ Hancock’s voice floated right on through her head, a recollection of the time they stepped into the Cabot house. It was way too fitting for something as spotless and bright as this. The stark white futuristic appearance of this place could give the sun a run for its money with how bright it was. She moved to the terminal injecting the holotape into it, downloading the files. She felt eyes on her everywhere, but not a sign of life was to be seen from where she was.

She realized how different she was already. She didn’t fit into a place like this.

“Hello.” A voice loud and clear as God himself broke over speakers. She sat up straighter leaning her back up against the control panel to shield the holotape she was ejecting and sliding into her jumpsuit. She released a shaking breath her eyes scanning around for any sign of movement. If the commonwealth taught her anything…

“I wondered if you might make it here. You're quite resourceful. I am known as Father; the Institute is under my guidance.” Just the guy she was looking forward to meeting. Her lips quirked up into the mischievous smirk fingers tingling to pull triggers left and right, put a bullet in this guy’s head. After finding her son after all. “I know why you're here. I'd like to discuss things with you, face-to-face. Please, step into the elevator.”

Her eyes zeroed in on the tube just a room away swiping open its translucent door. “Oh we’ll talk all right…” She murmured stepping forward into it. As it rose she was throttled to see a whole underground world. People in lab coats scattered around the floors with fresh lush green plants she saw from only the before time. She hated to admit how impressed she was seeing _fresh_ plants. Synths moved around as if they weren’t brutal hunters designed for murder.

She also couldn’t help but wonder… Which of these scientists were people from above ground. Who’s identity had been stolen.

She turned back to face forward when the elevator came to a stop and her eyes landed on a boy. Not just any boy.

“Shaun!” Her heart jumped into her throat and she lost all sense of control. Her son stood blocked off in such a small square of a room, dressed in the typical white institute attire. He had her dark hair - his father’s eyes. Kneeling down on one knee she pressed her palm against the glass feeling tears at her eyes now. She forgot where she was, anyone could come and attack her. It didn’t matter because here was her boy. Much older than she expected, but this was him.

He looked confused though, head tilted with his little eyebrows furrowed. He looked so cute, but awfully troubled. “Yes. I’m Shaun.” His voice was clear, snapping on every consonant, vocalizing every vowel. Professional, she thought. Much like herself. “Who are you?”

“Your mother - I’m your mom.” She mused, wiping under her fingers under her eyes to capture the tears. He backed up rapidly in a fatal cry of alarm. “Father! Father!” Stunned, she stammered for an answer jumping to her feet. “Your father, h-he-”

An elderly man popped up suddenly much to her dismay, and her trembling hands were on the holster of her magnum ready to fire. “Fascinating.... but disappointing. The child's responses were not at all what I anticipated.” He tsked with a sigh, the child bent at an unnatural angle. “I-I…” She struggled to understand, glancing anxiously back and forth absolutely at a loss for what the fuck is going on. “He's a prototype, you understand. We're only just now beginning to explore the effects of extreme emotional stimuli.”

“S-stimuli?” Her words left her, chest threatening to concave right down into rubble. Seeing her expression and sensing her distress he continued, walking around to stand right before her now. “Please try and keep an open mind. I recognize that you are emotional, and that your journey here has been fraught with challenges.”

She wrenched Hancock’s knife out feeling the engravings of his initials on the handle. “Give me Shaun. The real Shaun. Right now.” She swallowed, wanting a real go at this motherfucker who even _dared_ to approach her so fucking calmly. They cloned her fucking son, she couldn’t trust them. Not when she was nothing but a resource to them apparently. He looked to her knife, then back to her not flinching or looking the littlest bit of fear.

“I know, I know. You've gone to such lengths to find him.”

“I could kill you. Right here, right now.”

“Yes. Yes you could. And I would be powerless to stop you.”

“This is... insane. All of it.” She whimpered, the floor jelly beneath her feet. Everything she’d come to know was a lie, her son was _alive._ She’d missed his whole life and who knew how much time she had.

Breathing out an irritable sigh the guy still faced her with the doctoral sort of swagger. “The degree of trauma you're experiencing right now is understandable... Please, just try to relax. I know this is all difficult to take in. Father is my unofficial title. It's what I've come to mean to the people of the Institute. Just as... As you are a parent to your son. To Shaun.”

“You can’t possibly think to compare them!” The blade was still at the ready, and she didn’t know how or even why she was giving him the time of day. She would get Shaun one way or another regardless of the hell she’d go through. Dead or alive, Shaun would be back home even if it wasn’t with her.

“But... I need you to realize that this... situation... is far more complicated than you could have imagined. ou have traveled very far, and suffered a great deal, to find your son. Well, your tenacity and dedication have been rewarded.”

Something was coming, there was a glint in those brown eyes she really wasn’t liking at all. “It's good to finally meet you, after all this time. It's me. I am Shaun.“

Those were the last words she ever needed or wanted to hear out of this. “Bullshit. Absolute bullshit!” She seethed, anger coursing through her veins faster than any emotion that could threaten to overtake her at once. Here next to her was a synthetic Shaun, the one she came looking for, and now face to face with this motherfucker who played her head like a goddamn violin!

“Is it? After all the things you've seen and experienced in the Commonwealth? Think about it…”

“This is crazy, th-this can’t be-”

“In the Vault, you had no concept of the passage of time. You were released from your pod, and went searching for the son you'd lost.” He overrode her pitiful whining, growing tired of her vulgar attitude. “But then you learned that your son was no longer an infant, but a 10 year old boy. You believed that ten years had passed. Is it really so hard to accept that it was not ten, but sixty years? That is the reality. And here I am. Raised by the Institute, and now its leader.”

Overcome with pure disgust, Maddie doubled over and vomited right onto the pretty squeaky floor. She risked her life day after day after day in hopes of finding him and now here he stood. Only problem was, she missed his full goddamn life. He was full grown, past it, even. Running the Institute for fuck’s sake. He was a stranger.

Hancock was back in Goodneighbor seeing as how with Maddie gone, he had to make preparations for whatever aftermath he was awaiting. This waiting game was a sick game of torture, having her alone in a place like the Institute… He didn’t wanna think of what could possibly be happening. Or the happenstance he stumble upon her, and that not be her at all. Daisy stopped by on her way back from the caravans with MacCready.

He stood a brooding bundle of edgy nerves himself, checking out the window of the Statehouse, checking Diamond City Radio for any sort of news. Maddie or not. A sign. “They made a mistake letting her into their sanctuary.” Hancock prodded the eerie silence, organizing the books on his shelf for the fourth time that day. He’d finished three books, his paperwork for the town caught up, even if he tried going over the fine print again and again.

Daisy nodded in agreement keeping her smile kind, but her posture stoic. They were all worried over what possibilities this little adventure was bringing her. It’d only been a day and Hancock thought he was gonna go deranged. “What’s the plan for this big Institute attack?” Joseph asked, leaning against the arm of the couch before his desk.

The ghoul opened his mouth to answer, but truthfully, no one knew how to come about it. Hancock knew they needed to rely on Maddie’s insight into the place, however… If she somehow didn’t come back. His fingers buckled on the spine of the book in his hand at the thought. Everyone but him was losing more and more faith in her as the times ticked on and on and on and on and on. “We know when she comes back.” He replied hardly. “We’ll get an inside scoop on what the place looks like. We’ll have a come to Jesus with the Railroad, Minutemen, and the Brotherhood of Fucks.” He snapped the bounded book back into the safe haven of the shelf earning a cloud of dust to puff out around his face.

He fell back into the chair before his rightful throne, irritated beyond belief. “But what if…” He began. The cold jutted glare of Hancock shut him up, like it did most people. However. MacCready had seen more scarier things out in the commonwealth and well… It was more out of respect he shut the fuck up. Daisy wasn’t having absolutely none of it.

“What if she doesn’t come back? Who’s to say the brotherhood would ever stay true to their word here?” She demanded. “We need her intel, but if she doesn’t-”

The ghoul folded his boots on top of the desk narrowing his eyes pointedly at her. “She’s gonna come back! MacCready, you’ve fucing fought at her side. You know damn well how stubborn she is.” His attention was on the mercenary who pinched his lips together. “She barely survived Kellogg on her own. She had you, and Nick, and that Napoleon look alike.” He said just as exasperatedly. “She’s taking this on in her own hands. The whole institute. One trespassing wastelander.”

As much as he knew he had a point, John didn’t wanna come face to face with a reality where she wouldn’t be coming back. Instead, just grabbed the bottle of liquor off his desk and chugged a few swallows. It was such a systematic thing for him no one corrected him when he did it. Hancock couldn’t operate without drugs,or sex, or drinking. Rightfully a rockstar in his own mind. Daisy walked over sitting on the corner of his desk, reaching over to set it down just so she could look into his face.

“We all love her in our own way, John… As much as it hurts us to think of a what if, it’s also a sobering thought.”

“I heard sober and wanted none of it.” He burped. She just sighed, knowing the conversation was over. “I’ve gotta get back to my shop, but… Take care of yourself.” Pushing herself up, she exited the room with Joseph in tow. The doors shut with the most gentlest of clicks and he found himself alone again. Maddie would come back. She had to. As selfish as it is, she wasn’t allowed to come and steal his whole world just to… To leave.

If he had to be honest, the idea of… Of becoming a father, with her… It might be something he would grow to love. Having that… That family he never really had. Raising him in Goodneighbor where all the neighborhood watch would keep him safe… Teaching him to shoot, and play with knives… Breathing out a sigh he clunked his head back on the wall behind him, hat tipping backwards as he did so.

He didn’t know how to be a family man, hell, he was hardly responsible for himself. Maddie kept him in line the best she knew how and even sometimes… Sometimes that wasn’t enough. To have a kid, all his own… Part of him _burned_ for that. To have that little bit of something that he and Maddie could share, to love as much as her. Closing his eyes with a newfound mental exhaustion, he finished off the bottle to go to the next one.

He may be a broken man, but lingering in the negative silence and brooding on about keepsake never got him far. He traveled around to settlements, helping to ward off super mutants or raiders. Thanks to Maddie’s impractical genius and quick set of hands and a steady working brain, he didn’t need to do much. The ghoul fixed turrets that spluttered in the attacks or helped the wounded.

He dragged feet as much as he could before getting back to Sanctuary just because the feelings were so awfully heavy. The settlers were on edge, watching the teleporter for any signs of… Well, _grievances._ So when he crossed the rickety old bridge Hancock was pleasantly surprised to see Preston among the people after breaking to the castle. Musket at his waist, patrolling, it seemed. “Well, Napoleon.” He greeted.

The black man turned with a half assed smile, but a better hello than the brisk chill that usually rolled off of him. “Hello, mayor.” Casting his eyes over the surveying landscape John couldn’t stop himself, “Anything?”

“Not a damn thing.” Sadness twinged his usually monotone programming, he noted.

Nodding, he continued on despite the factor.

There was always something in need of repairing, creating, even bettering. The ghoul was settling on helping with the crops when he felt a tug on his overcoat. Blinking once or twice, he made eye contact with a child. Not just any, it was the Martin’s toddler. She was tiny with a rounded face, but a head full of the brightest red curls he’d ever seen. When she smiled, her heavily lashed brown eyes turned even his cold heart to the highest heat setting.

She had the fairest complexion, cheeks all rosy from running a muck around this place. When she tilted her head those bouncy curls copied her movements tossing from side to side. She had little bitty teeth and… God, she was beautiful. Children were so rare. He couldn’t dare judge a person for not wanting to raise their kids in a land where there were threats of raiders, and other terrible monsters such as himself.

“Well…” He drawled cautiously, not knowing how a child of her kind would reply to someone much like him. There were other ghouls so maybe she got kinned to them somehow. He knelt down on one knee before her moving as if he was trying to take down a radstag doe without it fleeing. “Hello there.”

“Hi, I’m Maggie!” She squat down just to be eye level. Her little sandals dug to grip into the dirt around her. “That’s a pretty name.” He replied, smiling kindly to her. Her head tilted with a shiteating little smile. “Play?” She asked politely.

“You… Want me to play with you?” He asked. Her father came behind her almost apologetically. He gave him a passive look actually wanting to get a taste to what it was like to be around someone as small as her. “I’m sure he’s busy…” Began Martin. After all, it wasn’t like you trusted your only child around a ghoul. Not him with a record.

Shaking his head, John muttered, “She’s fine. Kids are kids.” Turning his eyes back onto her he said, “You wanna help me with the flowers?” He picked up some of the carrots he was waiting to bury. Sure, a three year old couldn’t do much. They liked to get dirty and play in the mud. Kind of like him. Maggie gave a delighted little laugh and immediately plopped down getting her fancy pink dress all dirty on the bum.

Making a small section for her he dug a tiny hole just enough for her to fist the dirt. He cupped some in his ruffled palms holding it up for her to examine. He set it aside building a small mound which he pat down. “While I plant, you build a pretty castle, yeah?” She nodded and copied his movements, patting her too small hands down on the dirt pile a little too hard. It squished like dirt under heavy pressure, but that was completely fine to him.

Kids lived and learned - but that was time for some other day. Children stayed children. She was practically still just a beautiful blossoming baby. Her diaper poked out from between her dress still. She had a toddle when she walked, and her words still sounded like babble sometimes. “Do you know my name?” He asked her after about an hour. She’d been clapping in the dirt, even covering part of the plant he buried with a satisfied smile. “John.” She replied, looking to him with a small smile.

The two continued on until Maggie decided she was done. The dirt pile was higher than John’s calf when she gave up. Her dirty little fists scrounged at her eyes tiredly. The sun was settling lower in the horizon threatening dusk. She followed his gaze asking, “What’s dat?” In the most stomach churning squeak. She was so cute he didn’t know if he wanted to smother her in kisses or kick her over.

“You tired?” He wondered aloud. Maggie frowned stubbornly jutting out her lower lip. She shook her head with a vital shove from side to side, curls whacking and coiling against the sides of her fair face. He hated to admit the fact he kind of didn’t want it to end either. He stood and picked her up on his hip with one arm. She didn’t flinch or even tear up from fear. She was completely unabashed to his looks, to him.

Her chubby cheek slowly rested on his shoulder smooshing one side of her face in so her lips puckered out. “Heh. You’re not so bad, kid.” He told her, walking towards her house. The little girl grinned and lifted her head pressing a startling kiss to his cheek. “Friend.” Was all she said in reply. He almost didn’t wanna let her go when she handed her over to her parents.

The evening rolled in faster than he wanted. He watched guards switching shifts taking their turn to cover every perimeter of the settlement. Hancock sat on the roof of a shack, cigarette dangling from his mouth. It was hard to remember under the hover of the sun’s rays that they were living in a post apocalyptic world with the tantalizing beauty nature still held. Clouds puffed purple over the pastel sky. It was one of his favorite times.

He tapped his shotgun on his waist, his knife nowhere to be found. He knew Maddie had it, she stole it often. Just because it was a taste of him, a comfort.

He hardly had time to slow down and take it all in. Last time he did, Maddie was exhausted from a full day of battling. Her feet were so sore she got blisters at the bottoms of her feet. He always looked at her. Just because she looked like a goddess under the setting sun. She had a golden sheen around her form. Face covered in soot and grime, blood splattered on her clothing. She was nevertheless prettiest thing he’d ever lay eyes on.

He swallowed heaving out a shaking sigh. He really missed her. He worried he’d lose her. Even _when_ she made it there. He trusted her, but with Shaun being threatened by being in the Institute’s grasp he had no idea if she’d abandon all she learned, forget all she fought for. Freedom from them. Freedom for ghouls, humanity, choice of free will. Even fighting for synths, and… going behind their backs…

He felt the familiar tremble of the scrap metal harboring over the original tiled framework of the house, and he turned to see Preston leaning on the side of the house with a ladder. Even from there, the mayor could see the bashful blush creeping up his neck. “Could I help you?” Asked Hancock, bare eyebrow cocking up. He tapped out the ashes of the cigarette grasping for another one while the minuteman made his way up as well.

“I… Was coming up here because, well. This house has the best view of the horizon. Makes it easier to spot enemies.”

John snorted. “Yeah, right, Napoleon. You think the colors of the sunset are pretty. It’s okay to admit it.”

Preston smiled for the first time, weapon clattering when he set it beside him. “I think that’s the first time I ever seen you depart with that thing.” The ghoul commented. Garvey just shrugged, “Sometimes we need a break from all this kinds of stuff.” He agreed with a hum pulling out a flip lighter Maddie found for him. He puffed on his cigarette passing the pack over to the minuteman. He shook his head pushing it back over to him.

The two men sat in a comfortable silence. He knew Preston had questions for him, like the other had queries for him as well. Neither had answers. Shrouded in a cloud of mystery and their own personal misery. “I have to hand it to you, mayor.” Said Preston after a suppressed moment of quiet. The ghoul’s eyebrow quirked up in interest casting his eyes over from the corners. “You surprise me. Daily. I must admit, I didn’t like you. You were too cocky, careless, even. Leading tyranny against whoever the enemy was. We may have differences, but… You’re a good man. You help those who need it. A few settlers have been through Goodneighbor and had no bad to say about it.”

The words ruffled his trench coat a little, bristled his skin, if he had to put it that way. “Well. Thanks, Preston. That does mean quite an honorable amount of respect.”

“Respect?”

He nodded, casting his eyes back to the setting sun, shadows casting over his facial features. His lips were firm in a relaxed expression sucking down the tobacco like nothing. “I give it when it’s due. I may be a difficult person - if you can even call me that. I know respect, honor, and truth. I live by that. If it means getting my hands dirty…”

The two men shared a look, and in that moment, they were comrades.

“You have balls.” Preston chuckled. “I may even envy you. The way you carry yourself, so sure and fearless no matter the outcome… You and Maddie are one in the same. I had no doubts the first time I saw you guys take on raiders at Oberland. I may have hated it, but… If our general has anyone, I’m happy it is you.”

Hancock just smirked purring, “Well, I haven’t met anyone who could resist my charm. I even made someone’s mom drop their panties just by flicking my cigarette at her feet.”

Garvey cringed just a little and it made the ghoul erupt into laughter. “You’re a man of honor too, Napoleon. I wouldn’t ever second guess you being the leader of the minutemen if Maddie resigned or… Something of the sort.”

For him to admit such a thing took a lot of balls, because truth be, he had mixed feelings about him personal things shut aside. “You wanted to be a hero, to be just like the minutemen you grew up learning and knowing about. To have that much heroism and pride in something like this… All the hell I gave you about it falling apart… You kept it together. You and Maddie both had. But even before she walked them pretty legs into Concord.”

The ghoul shuffled so one leg was folded across his foot, the opposite leg hoisted up to his chest leaning back on his palms. He spit out the butt of his cigarette, facing forward keeping the familiar poker face locked in place. “I have to admit. Not a lot of things scare me. I know the future of the commonwealth, there’s gonna come a time we all die. Even myself. If the institute don’t take us over, the brotherhood of steel will. That’s something that’s unsettling.”

Preston looked over feeling a weird deep connection to him. Under the fruity flamboyance of his alcoholism and drug abuse, he was someone everyone knew. Even if it was such a tiny fraction of themselves, he reflected them. “What scares me? Maddie. The general. Nothing can and will stop her. No matter what faction she chooses… she can be our merciful grace, or our dismantling demise. I value her as much as I fear her. I love her as much as I can’t stand myself sometimes.”

Hearing the words roll off his tongue, so deep, and personal… Preston didn’t feel uncomfortable like he should have. Instead, he just smiled a little. “You’re right. She’s a fight to be reckoned with. However, we have to put our trust in her. I have full faith she’ll know what’s good for us. I would lay down my life for her without question.”

“That makes two of us, Preston.”

Maddie sat in her little white room watching every corner waiting for a scientist to come around the corner and drug her. Inject her, knock her ass out. Replace her. She agreed to stay for one night as much as her better judgement was honestly begging her not to. She wanted to be home, it was clear to her as much love as she had for Shaun… This wasn’t her son. Just as much a stranger as was anyone else she passed in the Commonwealth. She was banging on the walls of her head just shrieking, begging to get out.

Sure, there were promising advantages of this place… Modified food that could feed millions. That would solve so many of her settlement’s problems. They wouldn’t go to bed with empty stomachs, or even dusty pockets whimpering for caps. Yet… They kept it down here. If they really had the Commonwealth in mind, wouldn’t they already introduced it to them? She needed a drink. A stiff one.

She needed Hancock.

The thought of him waiting for her made her heart clench so violently. The white suit she wore felt disgusting clinging to her skin. Sure, she had a steaming hot shower, and felt like she was back in time before the bombs dropped, but… This wasn’t a place she could ever call home. She couldn’t trust anyone here. Not even Shaun. If mortified her when one of the scientists commented on how her… _attributes_ would be perfect for a courser. Last thing she needed was for a copy of her destroying innocent people.

Rubbing her palms along her face anxiously she threw her back against the wall when she sat on her bed. She had no privacy whatsoever here, there were eyes on every inch of her. Even in this so called “private” quarters. She wanted John, needed him. She was so unstable she could fall apart at a blink of an eye. “I have to get home.”

She bolted up out of her bed rushing to the elevator, swerving through the confusing corridors until she reached the elevator. Her limbs were tingling from the sheer terror she felt. She felt like there was someone racing just as fast behind her, waiting to stop her. Grab her, shove her down, take whatever they wanted or needed from her. She almost cried in relief when the elevator touched down on the floor she needed. She couldn’t disappear fast enough. “If you leave…” Shaun began, so close to her from behind.

Maddie jumped and whipped around facing him all over again. “If you leave us. I have no choice but to claim you as an enemy to us. You’re either with us, or against us.”

“Go to hell.” she whispered shakily, pulling out Hancock’s blade, jabbing it and twisting it right in his shoulder. She wrenched it out dashing to the relay room. She was gone within a flash. Losing her footing when she suddenly appeared back at the relay in Sanctuary, she bolted for home just hoping John would be there. So lost in the whirling of violet night kissed shadows of trees and homes and houses, she didn’t register when something warm and solid surrounded her.

she whooshed out a breath colliding into Hancock’s solid chest. 

There were rough hands in her hair holding her to his chest, the familiar chemical smell, bourbon. “I must be fuckin’ dreaming.” Hancock whispered so tenderly her heart gave its final shatter and she lost it on him. He clung to her like his life depended on it. Her face was smothered in his chest and she could feel the rapid pounding of his heart kicking the side of her head. “You’re alive, fucking, look at me.”

He grabbed her face looking into her eyes, searching them. She looked devastated and- “They let you live, fucking-" He cut himself off, kissing her again and again. She returned each one, salty tears dripping between the lips of the two. Fuck, he didn't care. she was right here. Physically, they’d let her live. She was here, it was her without a shadow of a doubt.  He had his fingers tangled in her hair, an arm possessively around her waist. There was someone missing. "Where’s Shaun?” He gasped, hugging her again as if she’d disappear all over. Maddie shook her head rapidly fisting his clothes, covering herself with him practically. It was the safest she’d felt in days, she was shaking from everything and anything.

“I’m unsteady.” She whimpered vulnerably. “Let me stay, for crying out loud don’t let go of me. Don’t you dare.” Her whispers were harsh and rushed. There was a scene of people around her consisting of Preston and the settler awoken by their general’s return. Hancock looked at Preston from over her head, they nodded to each other. It was war.

“I got you.” He cupped her face looking at her again, touching her cheeks with the back of his fingers, feeling her. He kissed her so hard she might have broken into tiny pieces like shattered porcelain. “Maddie. My love, fucking hell.” Their foreheads came together, he clenched his eyes tightly to keep the tears back, since there were people around after all. She sobbed openly, hugging his neck - his waist. Needing him so close, needing to feel so full, safety. Home.

“Home.” She whispered clenching the front of his shirt tightly. “I’m home.”


	20. Chapter 20

Hancock was on patrol for the night, relieving Preston of his temporary position before he returned back to the Castle. He wasn’t knowing what to expect. Wholeheartedly, he wasn’t anticipating any bits of excitement. Sure their settlement was large but the defenses were more than enough to scare off any intruders. Super mutants included. He was mostly just trying to keep busy and keep his anxiousness at bay. He spent more time with Maggie today, just because she was starting to… Grow on him truthfully.

Children were such rare treats it was almost hard to believe there was a whole other world where a child knew nothing of the extremities of the commonwealth. People were people who just wanted to play, and that was enough for John to settle on. He was standing between two missile turrets at the end of the bridge overlooking the Red Rocket. No movements besides the tumbleweeds or grass when the breeze passed on through. Boring, but peaceful at best.

However, when the relay suddenly crackled with static his attention went right to it. Through the beam of blue he saw the familiar figure he knew all too well in the shadows. His hands released his gun where he ran, _ran_ as fast as he could right to her. She would’ve toppled right on over had his arms not locked around her. The relief flooding through him was so fucking intense it knocked him off his ass.

He wanted to cry, truly and messily like she was. He knew there was something much more acute going on when he looked into those eyes. He would have known if her of all people had been switched up. Seeing the years of aging on her face from just a few days simmered his suspicions down of her being a synth. It sounded stupid, jumpy. “Fuckin’ hell, Mads…” He dug his face into her hair, holding her shaking form as if she’d dissolve like goo in his arms.

He wouldn’t let her go, not again, not ever. Next time she went to the Institute he’d be right there. He didn’t give a damn if it meant his ultimate death. The anxiety of the couple of days toppled over the two of them where they embraced despite the crowd forming around the couple. “I’m so glad you’re back.” Hancock expressed, cupping her chin so lightly when she turned those pretty eyes up to him.

His heart broke for her when he saw no child, no Shaun. He was either dead, or she came back after losing the fight to bring him home.

He kissed her damp cheeks resting their foreheads together breathing out a trembling sigh. The familiar cigarette smell whacked her face and she immediately calmed, fluttering her tired eyes closed against him. His warmth, his cologne, John. She slid her hands down to tangle together their fingers in a committed knot whispering, “John… I’m so tired.”

He turned to look at Preston once more. He seemed to acknowledge the words she spoke turning to the settlers. “We’ll give her time to rest, we can reconcile tomorrow morning.” The ghoul shook his head, “No. Dawn is approaching soon. We’ll reconcile once Maddie recovers with a full night’s sleep.” Maddie, wanting to object, was worn down emotionally and physically.

John lifted her bridal style catching onto the familiar signs of her tiredness. She was swaying from side to side, the bags under her eyes like bruises from a brutal fight. He was just fucking thankful to have her right back in bed next to him, sleeping. No synth could or would sleep. Or even need it as bad. He lay her down leaning over her to kiss her softly.

Her lips were like feathers falling down onto the surface of water, merely resting despite the many ripples it created. “Lay with me.” She whispered, tears dwelling in her throat. Her eyes never seemed to dry now that she was in a place she knew she could be vulnerable. With John Hancock. He did so wordlessly, not pressing the questions when she curled up into him, fisting his shirt as she cried into him.

He hated seeing her eyes so scrunched up tears spilling over those precious little cheeks. He’d take all her bearings if it meant having her happy. She looked more broken than the first time he saw her all those months ago, damn, a year. “Hey…” He said in a lucid murmur, tiptoeing around her sorrow. “It’s been a year and a few days since we met.” She sniffled in reply, and he sighed.

He settled for running his fingertips along her back, scowling at the white leather feel. He slid a hand from around her back to unzip the suit carefully. He didn’t want to see her dressed like those monsters - let alone looking like an Institute clone. She didn’t object but stripped out of it with ease. She kicked it off her feet turning right back into him in nothing but newly found panties. Any other time he’d take advantage and make her smile in his favorite way.

Instead, he enveloped her in his arms until she was a hiccuping mess. She fell to sleep soon after, a hand under her head and a hand resting up against his heart. “What have they done, Maddie?” He whispered past her ear when she kissed the side of her hair. “What have they done to my girl, huh?” One thing he knew, he’d make them pay for every tear and every single day she spent fighting to get to them.

They were on borrowed time, and Maddie was feeling it so much more intensely than she could ever think to admit. Hancock was pacing before their bed, trying to wrap his head around the information she fed to him. “That’s. That’s fucked!” He roared eventually. Maddie remained complacent and Frank. “How do you think I feel?” Hancock stopped in his tracks with his hands folded behind his back. His shoulders relaxed as he knelt down in front of her on one knee, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“The moment we come against them, we’ll make them fuckers pay.” His fingertips brushed her jaw when he moved his hand back. The fury boiled over him. He hated the Institute beyond any fucking form of compensation. Sure, he had to be cool under pressure, especially with just how fragile she was at the moment. It was hard when his world - their, their world - got turned right upside down. Everything they struggled to achieve.

Nothing.

“They’re not gonna get away with fucking us over.” He spoke, voice low, dirty, full of the gravel and stones he wanted to drag their teeth against. Stomp their heads right into the curbs. The sole survivor’s attention perked hearing ‘us’ spoken so naturally, it was a them situation. Not a hers, or a his, but a theirs. Together.

“I’ll have you know they’re gonna come after us.”

“We lead the fight to them. Round up ya boys, I round up mine. Then we-”

“I stabbed Shaun.”

Hancock looked at her with those bare eyebrows raised registering the words of disturbance. “Now why would ya do that?” He demanded tursely, if not a little amused.

Maddie would have laughed, but this wasn’t something to chuckle on and on about. “He’s not my son, Father, director. Whatever the ever loving fuck you want to call him.” She rose up from the bed now slinging the familiar black tactical armor suit right on. She wound her weapon’s belt around her waist, tugging her hair free of the collar hugging her neck. “I panicked.”

“Now you? Panicking?” He began, leaning a shoulder against one of the walls, watching her stiffly. His tone was playfully patronizing, but she wanted none of that.

She whipped around to bite his head off - and nearly had. Had it not been for that glimmer she caught in his eyes. He tried concealing any form of vulnerability - he’d always done that. He was mister cool, calm and collected, charismatic leader everyone knew and loved. He had the highest self esteem and let all the insults roll off like marbles on a hill. But she knew better. She’d gotten to know him.

The way his face was set made her think twice on yelling at him. He was under the same amount of stress she was. He’d taken her burden and made it his, their own. He’d gone days not knowing where she was, if she’d came back, if she did, was she… Her? Not just some synthetic replica? She wouldn’t know what to do in that sort of situation if they had to switch roles. She’d find something to keep her busy - just not busy enough to not focus on how passionate this difficult trial really was to her. 

She’d be dwelling over the what ifs. Something told her, he tried fighting that.

In that moment every thought was like he was waving around a bullhorn yelling, “I’m scared I lost my girlfriend to a bogeyman!” Breathing out a sigh she relaxed her tensed up shoulders mumbling softly, “Yeah. I panicked. He was behind me, one second he wasn't, then he was. It’s that fucking teleportation thing. There were eyes absolutely everywhere. I wanted out - needed out. I felt like any moment he could just yank me back and-”

Hancock cut her off with a sharp jerk of a hand in the air between them. She could see his jaw lock and that threatening gaze he gave to enemies. He didn’t wanna think of that possibility. There was a lingering tension between the two where Maddie was focusing on the life going on as normal here in Sanctuary. She was back, it was fine. People could crop and do whatever, however. They didn’t know what she did.

Hancock knew he was in the wrong for directing his anger at her, she hadn’t done this. “Maddie, I’m sorry, babe.” He walked over standing so pointedly tall and sure. She pat his chest telling him, “It’s okay. There’s a lot going on. We just have to remember, we’re a team. Not a one versus one thing here.”

“We’ve been the best crime fighters there has ever been.” He stated.

“No matter what… We stick together, okay?”

Hancock just kissed her in reply sliding his knife from her waistband, replacing it with a fresher, better one he fixed up himself. “You and I ‘til the end, cradle robber.”

Hancock inhaled through his little nose holes tasting the disgusting air of Goodneighbor. Chems and Booze and all of the musky sexual undertones a man could ask for. Maddie stood at his side when he busted through the doors of the Old State House like an oldie foreman. He had a damn good message to deliver, the lust of the fight swirling in the air of the commonwealth like a radstorm. The doors to the balcony swung open dramatically like the mayor was some kind of God.

Worst thing is, he definitely was to most.

Maddie thought of him as some hellhound who’d been released off the short leash just because he couldn’t contain his urges anymore.

Bracing his arms on the column overlooking the city, he turned his eyes on Maddie who stood behind him yet at his side. “Do your thing, Mayor Hancock.” She enthused passionately. “Heh, right on.” He mused back his posture straightening from where he leaned.

“Hey, everyone! Gather 'round! Let's kick the breeze back... shoot the fat…” Like cheese in a swarm of rats, the townsfolk came skipping and jumping at his command. It was really something to witness, the pure respect he’d gathered in a town a lot of people talked down to and about. “Now, I know you all are doing your own thing. But I don't want anyone here to forget what matters…”

His tone was so powerful looming over with energy and grace all of his own. It was the speech of a leader, and there were times Maddie had to remind herself that he wasn’t at all a follower to her. He had his own mind, and spoke it like a prayer. He looked from Kleo to Daisy, smirking in kind to her. “Hey Daisy, glad you could make it. How's my favorite girl doing? Didn't I see you on a date with Marowski the other day?” Maddie gasped and smacked his arm mockingly, mostly because she understood how much the shop owner of his really did fucking despise the drug lord.

“He wishes!” Came her snarky reply. Maddie grinned at that. Marowkski scowled like a scorned child, and a lot of others found it just as funny, bursting out into fits of laughter. Hancock himself too. Then again, he always made himself laugh. That’s what he did best.

“All right, all right. We're getting off track. What was I saying?” Dragging his teeth along his lower lip he looked to the side racking his brains for his words. He all but jumped when they struck him like a fastball. “Oh, that's right! What matters…” He said mostly to himself.

He stood up straighter with his knuckles digging into the wood of the awning, looking into each of these drifter’s eyes. Never missing a single one. These were people who were like him, had no place to turn, no place to go. Kicked out or fought their way into freedom, into a place they could rest without any worries or even responsibilities. The drunks could get drunk and the druggies could get as high as they fucking wanted to.

This was a town and a life of liberty he built all his own. It’s amazing how only one person standing up for what’s wrong could help entice a rowdy crowd like this bunch. “We freaks gotta stick together! And the best way to stick together is to keep an eye out for what drives us apart, you feel me? Now what out there in our big, friendly Commonwealth would want to drive us apart?” He spit in disgust.

It was so vile it struck a nerve inside of Maddie somewhere. “What kind of twisted, un-neighborly boogeyman would want to hurt our peaceful community?”

“The Institute and their synths!” Goodneighbor echoed back.

“The Institute!" He chorused defiantly, "They're the real enemy! Not the Raiders, not the Super Mutants, not even those tools over in Diamond City.” He kicked himself up off the railing standing now with his hands behind his back like always. There was such a bossy attitude behind his stance. He was glowing from within, speaking for the tyrants he’d somehow rescued, using them as a voice when they couldn't either. He was thinking of Maddie, watching her cry day and night.

Watching her fight with such a cold blooded merciless slaughter it chilled every bone in his body. He could see a changed woman who lost her son and husband, avenged them by killing their murderer, human and synthetic slavedriver. only to turn around and realize her little boy was just like Kellogg, he’d been in control of kidnapping innocent people. Creating people from them, to replace them and for what? An uprising, an uproar?

He was only yanked out of his thoughts when someone from the neighborhood watch said, “I don't know, Hancock. I'd sure love to give McDonough a kick in the ass!”

He snorted in reply. “Hey, we all know I got my own personal beef with that lard-head, but stay focused!” He sneered with a growl between his clenched teeth seething at the chest, “Now, I want everyone to keep the Institute in mind. When someone starts acting funny. When people are doing things they don't normally do. When family starts pushing you away for no reason…”

Maddie could feel the bitter reminder crawling up her back like a slithering snake. Chills ran up her spine then back down again and the familiar waves of nausea threatening to choke her up again. _When family pushes you away for no reason…_ There was no admiration or love in Shaun’s eyes when he saw her. There was no sparkle. They were as dead as his cold father she had to bury all on her own just inches from their home they built together before the bombs dropped.

There was no sympathy at all watching his mother sob over the realization she’d lost a lifetime with someone she carried, cherished, and loved so much beyond herself. She meant nothing to him and her love for him was what kept her going. Now, it felt like she had lost all motivation. If it hadn’t been for John, she would have gave herself up the moment she touched back down in Sanctuary.

“We all know who's behind that kind of shit. And the only way to stop it is to stick together. They can't control us if we're not afraid!” He roared with a voice mightier than the thunder brewing in the east. “Now who's scared of the Institute?” He demanded, slamming his fists down on the wooden rod beneath his rough hands.

“Not us!” Came the rally cry.

“And which town in the Commonwealth should the Institute not fuck with?” He was grinning now, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. Maddie didn’t understand the hype until she followed his eyesight. Crows. Ravens. Tons of them. They sat on every rooftop and powerline. If it wasn’t obvious now as to who or what they were, it definitely was now. Knowing for certain and being on the inside, she understood these crows were cameras made from synths.

“Goodneighbor!” Maddie chanted with the town. Hancock grinned over at her looping an arm around her waist to pull her right up against him.

“And who's in charge of Goodneighbor?”

“Hancock!”

“Of the people! For the people!” Everyone but him cried out in unison. He was too busy marveling at everyone, everything. Savoring every righteous moment. It was like being at a concert and singing along to your favorite song in a crowd of strangers. Except to him, this was so much stronger. So much more potent. He had his ladylove right there at his side joining in on the coalition he’d made rebelliously. Hearing the words leave her lips made him realize he’d done something right for once, he wasn’t such a nemesis, as he’d thought himself to be.

“I fucking love you, woman.” He said, kissing her with all his might. They were both aware of the crowd down beneath them screeching triumphantly. Without breaking their kiss he brought up his shotgun shooting into the sky once, twice, and again until a hail of bullets fell around them. This was their war cry.

It was time to start the fuckin’ party.


	21. Chapter 21

Stresses between the factions were sky high.

It never helped when every few hours she was getting reports from the Castle on synths and crows making refuge when she was checking on settlements or busy doing errands on the Prydwen.

She was stressing John the most she could it seemed too.

Every few hours she’d start taking a tumble to the left then to the right, slouching over on her desk at the Castle or somehow falling asleep on her feet which was the strangest of all. At first, he really did believe she was faking when there were snores erupting from her while leaning up against a shiloh they were turning into a multi bedroom apartment. He softly touched her nose and she jumped awake like she’d been electrocuted.

Hancock also wasn’t one to downplay on someone’s addiction. Never. However… Maddie was getting pretty familiar with buffout it seemed. Every few glances over his shoulder she was dousing more until she finally gave in. He counted two bottles within five days. It was almost up to three within four. She would burn out like a soaked candlewick. Like now, asleep in the middle of a courtyard. Head in his lap.

At the castle.

They were simply just laying out pointing out the galaxies in the stars she knew of when he began to go on about wanting to know about the existence of aliens. “I mean,” Hancock began with stifled laughter, leaning back on his palms. “If someone as beautiful as me could inhabit a planet, it makes you wonder who else-” He looked down with an amused smile, quickly faltering to one of surprise at a sleeping Maddie in his lap.

He snorted. “Guess there is rest for the wicked.”

He lay her down in her bed, and he knew she’d zonk out for a little right now thankfully She wouldn’t be up and fighting in a few hours. The buffout finally couldn’t keep her little body going anymore. Sighing, he sat at her desk shuffling through paperwork from Maxson, and her map she’d drawn of caravan lines through settlements to set up a decent trading system. “Hm.” He muttered. He picked up a pen helping to adjust just a few routes he knew of. Just so they could avoid mutants or raiders.

He didn’t tweak too much because after all this was Maddie’s circus she was running.

Under the General paperwork were the files beneath the few recollections of holotapes she’d collected from the Institute. “Paladin Danse went AWOL…” Hancock mused in disbelief. He was skimming over the Brotherhood’s report on the infamous soldier feeling a little bit of disgust and disdain for them now more than ever. This poor guy spent his whole protecting, fighting, and ever so lovingly devoting his life to this Aryan race, and they turn him away for being a synth. He made a mental note himself to have Maddie check in on it in her downtime. He didn’t like the guy at all, but he had enough respect to not damn a man for what he is, or why. That wasn’t his flow either way. Right of choice.

The ghoul paced around to his side of the bed turning on the little bedside lamp. He’d found a barely hanging on by the spine book on the American Constitution. He’d found it in one of the destroyed libraries near Leominster, the remains of that poor shit hole of a town. Not that it was much before the bombs fell from what he read in census books. The preworld always amazed him, and here was the love of his life from such a weird era.

Damned to be, damned not to be.

He tried to morph his world into what the ideal “liberal” ideals were it seemed too. Politics weren't his strong suit and given the history of the USA’s presidents back in the day, they weren’t made for some of the people in legislation and shit either. Nowadays, they had groups instead of one person to control a country. Heavy guns, intimidation, and twisted beliefs heh. Just like the olden days.

What was that thing he heard Maddie quote a few times? War never changes?

The ghoul shuffled the constitution aside picking up a book on World War 2 nestling into the bedside next to Maddie. Even though she was fast asleep he read excerpt after paragraph to her in hopes to keep her asleep for just a little while longer.

Maddie was running on fumes and it was a bad habit she couldn’t kick. Kind of like her addiction to the big energy pills bouncing on the inside pocket of her military suit. “Hey, you should slow down. And that's me saying that…” He put his hands on her upper arms from behind rubbing them slowly. “I’ll be fine.” She mumbled, leaning back on him. There’d been so much going on that spending time with him was minimal.

They’d been arguing a whole hell of a lot too, and that wasn’t helping matters for either of them.

Hancock opened his mouth with a dejected response. He settled for breathing out the worry and instead focused on holding her, savoring every second they got together. His arms danced around her middle hugging her back on him, burying his lips into her hair while surveying the courtyard of the castle. “You need to sit for a minute.” John said eventually.

Even then, she rejected the idea pulling away. It left a bitter absence in his chest, and he knew he was being selfish in trying to keep her there with him. On him. Near him. Just his. He wanted them to just… slow down, he didn’t want there to be a hurry for once. She moved to adjust one of the turrets ignoring the rejected Hancock behind her watching her every move. She wasn’t blind to the distance building between them because she was the one building up a wall.

Every moment of them being apart, she missed him. Of course. She just… Wasn’t the same, couldn’t be. Hancock tried to understand exactly what losing Shaun meant yet when the subject came out the lashed like a viper. It always ended in either yelling or silent treatments from one of the other, or just a simple complicity of both of them. The ghoul moved to kneel in front of her to help her, neither of them said a word. The clinking of metal, wires, and the occasional prickle of electricity when Maddie tried fixing wires in it. 

Fixing things became this little bit of banding, a togetherness seeking out the other’s presence. “Maddie.” John caught her hand going for a wrench. She looked up at him hearing her name spoken. “Yes?” She replied evenly, knowing he was gonna pick up the subject from the previous day. She didn’t have the energy to fight, and if he brought it up she’d have to roll it up, tuck it away for another day.

He nibbled on the inside of his cheek debating his words heavily. He hated the idea of walking on eggshells around her, and knew his feelings really shouldn’t matter in such a problematic time like this. “I don’t like how things are right now.”

Maddie sighed agitatedly, looking at him from where she knelt with her knees in the dusty dirt. “Can we do this another time?”

“I'd been pretty happy with how things were going. You and me, out in the Commonwealth, bringin' hell to folks that deserved it and helpin' those in need…”

The more he went on, he felt his heart hammering. He watched those eyes watching every emotion flicker through the golden brown hues in them. Sadness, anger, desperation. Her jaw set as she stood slowly like a threat. A spring slowly coming undone.

“But lately, you seem deadset on throwing all that away. And if things keep goin' the way they have, I'm not sure how much longer I can stomach it.”

“You really gonna do this right now?” She demanded through clenched teeth. “You think on top of _everything_ else going on I need this too? You’re gonna threaten to leave because things get a little rough?” She laughed humorlessly running her fingers through her oily hair, tugging on it as she turned on her heels not wanting to believe he’d pull something so fucking… _high school._

John sighed and grabbed her shoulders, turning her around to face him. His expression was a mix of both disappointment and readiness, and it made her blood run cold. “I just need to know-” She wrenched her shoulders with a heavy shove of them, glaring him down. He continued on anyhow. “That this ain't the path you're plannin' on walkin' from here on out.”

Maddie shook her head licking along her teeth before staring him dead in the eyes with the fearless courage she always had, the thing that used to turn him on the most, “I do as I please. So you're just going to have to get used to it.” She folded her arms with a stern stare his way.

Staring in disbelief he shouted, “The hell's gotten into you? Are we just not communicating on the same frequency?” They were grabbing attention of nearby minutemen. Even Preston, watching from his guard post, peeked over the top wall of the castle to listen to the two bickering partners.

Again, Maddie repeated seriously, “Now's not the time for this.” And she meant it.

“I'm gettin' real tired of having to run my mouth every time you make a lousy decision.”

She scoffed, “Then shut the fuck up.” She bit as harshly.

“So one of two things is gonna happen - either you're going to figure out how to make things right…”

“Or what? You’ll leave?” She demanded, pointing a finger right into his face, “Sounds like your problem, not mine.”

He narrowed his eyes at her feeling the anger he’d been sheathing - mostly not wanting to add onto the turmoil she was in - “Don't push me, friend. I can sure make it yours.” There was such a bitter resistance forming in his chest where his heart was. For once, he wanted to hurt her. Slap her silly, drag her by the roots of her hair until she was kicking and screaming.

All at once it was making him absolutely sick to his very stomach. He understood they were both stressed, but staring at her was like staring at a stranger. Maddie seemed unphased by the very idea of him walking out on her. It was like she’d disconnected any emotional attachments to anything. Maybe that was her way of coping, but it wasn’t worth it to drag him through it because of her displacement of emotions.

Maddie shook her head muttering under her breath, “Maybe you should be on your own for a while.” She looked up at him then, knowing he’d heard. “I think we should part ways.” She stated so evenly, strong, sure.

In all his days of traveling with her, knowing her… He never would have thought she’d be the one to leave. Well, of course he used to expect her to. He wouldn’t stay with him either. However, this was a two people problem. The blame fell on her, and for her, the blame fell on him. They both knew deep down this wasn’t a sure way to handle this, but the words floated between the two of them as an eerie silence fell over the property.

He turned without another word his coat picking up and twirling with him.

“That’s what you do best is run.” She said after him. “That’s all you’ve known.”

Smirking to himself, he snorted and peered over his shoulder at her, “Like you’re any different, _princess.”_ He hissed.

She watched him fade into the darkness of the open Commonwealth. Where was he gonna go? Would he leave on such a note like that? Probably not, that was dramatic even for him. He needed to take a walk. She needed her space too. He thought of going to Goodneighbor just because that’s where his head was telling him to go. His heart was telling him to turn his ass around and go back to her.

If she felt anything like the same she’d chase him in return to stop him from leaving if she really cared. Then again, she was always running after something, someone. It was a game of cat and mouse. The ghoul stopped in the middle of the desolate city turning to look at the lit up ruins of the castle. Even from where he was he could feel those eyes after him. He couldn‘t make out any figures, but those eyes… He could make them out in a pitch black studio in a group of thousands.

She watched him retreat with the stinging of tears behind her eyes and a heavy rock in her subconscious mind. She breathed in heavily through her nose inhaling all the positive vibes there still was, exhaling all the ugliness in the success she’d made. She took a look around her at everything, all the people watching her mid-business with crops, or decoding radio signals, patrolling the castle grounds.

She got what she wanted, but… Sometimes she thought maybe it was better always chasing her original dream, there were good memories in the worse ones. Meeting Nick for the first time, exploring a new world no matter how deadly it was. Introducing herself to people more purer than the green grass from the prewar memories. She even… kind of preferred this struggling one. She was a strong believer in whatever is gonna happen, was meant to.

She met Hancock with a chemistry much stronger than anyone she could have ever felt with anyone before. And now she was chasing him off.

“General.” Preston broke through her cloud of tangled thoughts. She faced him with a blink back to reality and forced a smile he couldn’t even believe. “This is coming from a friend, not a second in command. I think you need to rest. We’ll let you know about any settlements that need your help.”

She nodded her lower lip beginning to wobble when she tried smiling back. She parted her lips to speak but her throat was so thick with the sobs that threatened to run out. She leaned against the door when her chamber door slid shut. The concrete room was so huge, and all she could think of now is the fire of memories threading through her brain. Every kiss, every passionate love making the two did… All the times they whispered sweet nothings until one of them fell asleep, or when she cried and he held her so tightly. “I’m fucking stupid.” She mumbled quietly, sitting with her knees pressed to her chest. She slid off her hat unbuttoning the jacket and tossing it aside. She didn’t wanna be general. Not a ruined woman. Not a soldier.

She just wanted to remain Maddie Preston.

And she just wanted Hancock to be mayor of Goodneighbor and her best friend.

She had nothing without love, and he had enough for both of them.

There are gonna be days where she can only put in twenty percent and he’d throw out the remaining eighty percent. It just seemed like she was giving up, leaving him alone when she wiped her tears and gained her strength to face another day. Aiming every bit of anger and hurt at him, at everyone around her. She was changed, and she didn’t know how to filter everything at once.

She lay her cheek on her knees closing her eyes, taking in the silence that once threatened to drain her, and drank it all in until she felt nothing anymore.

She went walking just to free herself of the binding web the castle was presenting. She had her magnum for protection wearing her cut off sweats and a tank top. She wasn’t expecting to go anywhere too violent, but just… Going. No thinking, no choices to be made. The silence of the postwar night was comforting. Engulfing herself under the pure lights of the moon being the only illumination painting her a path to the open waters behind a ruined shack.

There were still lawn gnomes in the back garden where it looked like someone attempted to grow carrots at some point. The paint was chipping off the porcelain, rolling down the little troll’s brick red sleeves. She smiled crookedly kicking off her shoes when she reached the sandy shores. She sat down at the water’s edge digging her toes into the sand. That was one of the things that haven’t changed from the old world.

Sitting with her toes in the sand not a worry in the world at all. All the mirelurks lurking around were killed the moment the minutemen swept in. So now it was her, nature, and the radiated waters licking at her ass when high tide pulled in. There was a gentle salty breeze blowing her ponytail against her shoulders the stray hairs tickling her back. She tilted her head back with her eyes closed drinking in the moonlight.

There were rough lips on hers so gently it would have startled her had it not been for the familiar hands tangling into the locks in her hair. She brought a palm up to cup the upside down face stroking her fingertips along Hancock’s cheekbones trying to hold him close as possible. It’d been too long since there was just… That. Them. No rush, no quickness. Drinking each other in like the finest of wines.

She pulled her lips away when he moved to sit next to her. “Get lonely?” He asked with the remaining humor. She snorted a tiny little smile, looking out over the radiated waters. “I guess.” She replied with a soft murmur. The two sat in silence, Hancock sitting with a knee up and his shotgun thrown across it. Maddie leaned back on her palms digging her fingers into the sand locking it in as if to keep the tide from yanking her in.

Maddie was the first to break the silence, “I’m sorry.” That was all that was said for a little bit. She was afraid he’d tell her he made up his mind. There was something in that kiss though, a promise. It wasn’t one that said goodbye, but one that promised a forever with her. No matter how hard things would get. She’d done so much crying over the past few weeks she was all dried up.

“You’ve been putting in so much effort to understand… I’ve been pushing you away, I…” She licked along her teeth biting on the bits of tender skin on her lower lip. John looked over at her then stretching a hand out to rest it on top of hers sitting on the sand. “I don’t want you to go.” She finally confessed. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about. I didn’t expect you to still be around. Thought you’d be on your way to Goodneighbor. Home.”

“Home is anywhere with you, Maddie.” He said. “With the institute threatening to attack at any moment no matter how pissed off you make me, I’d never leave you to fend them off on your own. Told you we’re a team.”

“A team meets requirements to win a sport. I’ve done nothing but kick you while you’re trying to hold us together.”

She looked over at him and he was chuckling. She shot up an eyebrow at him. “What’s funny?” She demanded defensively.

He threaded their fingers from the top. “Baby, I know you better than yourself. You’ve been blowin' steam, and I’ve been doin’ the same. I wouldn't wanna leave you for nothin’ in the world, however…” His voice got darker, more serious. “I was serious. I’ll leave if I have to. This is tough enough without us at each other’s throats. I worked so hard to get ya to me the first time. I don’t know if I could handle a second after all.” He nudged her arm with his own leaning right into her with a warm smile. “I’ve been inside ya guts this time, and I’ve seen the inside of your head, sunshine. You don’t have to hide from me.”

She knew he was right, he usually was. He was as hot tempered as her, but so much more liberal when it came to compassion. And he said he had no redeeming qualities. Maddie scooted closer to him ignoring the sloshing the wet sand did against her cut off cotton slacks. She drew her arms around one of his leaning her cheek near his shoulder. “We ain’t got nothin’ without love.” He told her, letting his mouth linger on top of her hair.

It was times like these he wished he had a nose, just to brush it through her filthy hair and feel the warmth of her, smell her like a brahmin noses the grass. He could settle for watching the night roll on. “I don’t know much about guns,” She said with a tiny grin. Hancock just rolled his eyes at that. If she didn’t know much about guns, he was as sober as a goddamn pope. “But you shot me.” She finished with a little cackle.

Breathing out a sigh she whispered, “How can I fix this, John?”

The ghoul thought for a moment, picking his words carefully. This was the most civil conversation they’d had in a while. He didn’t wanna jinx any of this. “If you want this thing to work, then I need ya to show me ya still got the guts to be _you._ Be the hero we all know you are, you can’t let them take this from you. We get them assholes back, we make this right.”

He caressed her face in his palms tilting her face up to stare into that beautifully worn down face. Maddie stared up back at feeling the planets align. In his charcoal eyes she saw her past, and her present, and she swore she saw their futures. Him alive and kicking years down the line, her just as young as now… Together arm in arm guarding over all the commonwealth thanks to Lorenzo’s youth potion.

“I really love you.” She said drawing her arms around his neck turning herself to face him on her knees. “I don’t think I’ve told you lately.”

He shook his head in agreement muttering, drawing a thin wavy strand around his finger tucking it behind her ear. “I haven’t heard it, doesn’t me I don’t know it all the time.” He responded, brushing their lips together briefly. “Doesn’t mean I don’t like hearin’ it any less. That’s better than when you purr my name in that seductive tone of yours I love so much.”

She didn’t wanna just… Bang right now.

She craved the feeling of two hearts with one beat, fitting into each other like puzzle pieces. “Make love to me…” She whispered hoarsely, kissing his lips with intent. “I wanna be open to you. Make me feel your love.” She begged, pulling herself close to him. “Don’t let me go. So when the world is at war, let our love heal us all.”

He didn’t object but loved her the best way he knew how, touching every tender spot, kissing her every inch of her that was exposed to him. Her pale skin glowed like the rarest porcelain. Her eyes twinkled brighter than the stars above them, and it was the most gorgeous thing. He had a knack for the love of female forms. It was the curves and caress of her breasts up against his chest. The way her hips and back arched when he touched her in that special way he did.

The two moved in sync pushing every inch of himself inside her, feeling as connected as two broken pieces of the same sculpture. Her breath hitting his lips when she moaned and cried out all for him, just him. There was nothing but them in the world, and for right now, she wanted it to remain. Exposed and intimately open for each other.

Sometime in the rendezvous she lost her bearings and sobbed. Hancock stopped when she buried her face into his shoulder from where he lay on top of her. “Maddie, do you want me to quit?” He panted. She shook her head rapidly just whispering, “I love you. Those words will never be enough, John.” She wiggled her hips digging him deeper until he pressed right up into her cervix and she whimpered. “Don’t go anywhere.”

The two headed back to the castle hand in hand now, the burn out of the buffout had sweated out of her system and she was lagging behind some. Hancock didn’t mind, he wasn’t in a rush to get back to reality yet. “I don’t think I ever told ya how sexy you are when you’re naked under the moonlight. It’s like you’re some sort of… Greek sculpture shit.” He whispered to her with a crooked smirk.

In the opposite hand than the one Maddie was currently clinging to with her own, a lit cigarette blew its smoke into the atmosphere. It was such a comforting smell to her. Bourbon, cigarettes, gunpowder. Him. “Look who’s talkin’. Your charm shoves anyone’s panties down.”

“Heh, you act like I don’t know that, princess.”

She smacked him playfully on the arm when he yanked her to a stop with a whizzed out panicked, “Shit.”

Maddie was midlaugh at is expression following his eyes to see herself staring right back at her with a sinister sneer on her face at the two.

Not just herself, but synths, millions awaiting her arrival at the start of the castle. Hancock could see the minutemen crowded around, ready for attack. What he couldn’t stare past is the exact beautiful replica of Maddie in the most dangerous looking courser uniform he’d ever seen. “Hello.” The courser said with a grin. “Let’s get this party started shall we?”

Hancock felt his knees clench up enough to almost knock himself forward looking from her to the leader.

She picked up the Institute rifle aiming it at Maddie.

The general twirled around ripping his shotgun from his waistband shooting forward at her synthetic copy and hell ensued like an explosion of lava, flames, and a whole hell of a lot of blood. 


	22. Chapter 22

Now wasn’t the time to be recounting all the should haves and what ifs of life, but staring eye to eye with herself made her rethink of everything. The dust of the battle kicked up with each blistering shot of a nearby gun, watching bodies both mechanic and mundane litter around her like easily disposed trash. Maddie was panting with sweat rolling down her face mixing with the blood, ash, and bruises. The courser Maddie had her eyes on her - and she had a very bad feeling this was more than just a business call.

Shaun had sent her directly after her, and the resemblance was uncanny. That was her body, curves, freckles, and even got that little bump on her nose just right. It was a whole new level of fear to be eye to eye with yourself who’s actually trying to kill you physically. This was one fight she wanted to be in her head. “You’re not gonna win this.” Maddie breathed, her gun steady in her somehow trembling hands.

The Institute bombarded the place like maggots spilling in from any and every crevice nearby. Just when her soldiers cleared the field, more took their place. No amount of artillery could take them, but her faith in her men remained just as tidy as before. They trained for this, she’d be goddamned if the institute took them out too. History wasn’t gonna repeat itself today.

The robot before her smirked, and immediately anger splintered through her like aging wood in a hurricane. How could Hancock find that smug fucking sneer appealing in any way? “You think you will.” Her voice was poised and cracked like a whip, but kept that same seductive purr. “Father has made our mission clear. Take down this pathetic settlement you call minutemen.” She drawled out the last word like a venomous snake pacing around her with her laser rifle still pointed towards her.

Hancock was watching her the best he could while caps deep inside of some tin can’s ass. Preston flanked his back watching the north, and John was pointed to the south. He took orders well. He wasn’t expecting anything of the sort from the minuteman, not when Maddie was in the same ordances as himself. Seeing her tangoed with the replica of herself it seemed he didn’t have much of a choice. “We need to get closer to the courser.” He grunted out, stabbing his knife through the jugular of a gen 2 synth at his feet.

Preston whipped his stare over to Maddie watching her merely dodge a sneak attack from behind. Even from here he could see her in such bad shape, but it was like it couldn’t even remotely phase the general. She’d fight until there was nothing else. “How do you suppose we do that?” Demanded Preston. “Everywhere we look there’s synths waiting to knock our block off.”

“Heh, you almost sound frustrated.” Hancock snorted playfully, but his eyes were serious.

To see a machine copy of Maddie sent him spiraling. It was easy to tell the two women apart. If it wasn’t for the differences of clothing, it was the eyes. Always her eyes. The courser was cold as can be, and even in her worst times, they never lost that ray of warmth Hancock found himself hanging onto. They bore into him like salt in a wound. That goddamn robot couldn’t be any more convincing than Strong dressing up in minutemen gear and calling himself human. He was calculating, thanking the jet he’d buffed on. It gave him enough time to find a break in a clearing of human and robot interaction for him to devise something.

“One of us will remain.” Breathed Maddie, laying on her stomach at the feet of this gungho courser. Pain flared up from her back when she stepped on it squishing her like a simple radroach. Her teeth snapped together biting back a hiss of pain at the stubbing roughness pressing into her tender muscles. “I’ll be… Fucked if it’s you.”

Grabbing the hunting knife Hancock branded with her initials, she launched it into the courser’s ankle. She jerked it to the left then the right as rapidly as she could muster just enough for her to glide out from under herself. She took the distraction to look at the carnage and felt her heart shattering at the bodies scattered about like lost little puzzle pieces. Her army, her friends, settlers… Risking their lives for the commonwealth and dying for it all at once.

“War never changes, doesn’t it?” The courser asked smoothly, head tilting despite the oozing coolant and flesh dripping from her wound. “I think that’s what our Natey dearest said.”

Maddie launched a sharp left hook at the robot. Its reflexes were quicker than she gave it credit for. Robot twin grabbed her fist like it was nothing more than a baseball breaking through the barriers of wind and caught it midway. In the same instant she snapped her wrist back with a crunch loud enough to catch the ears of a nearby minuteman. “Fuck!” Maddie shrieked weapon dropping to her feet.

She kicked at it immediately when it clattered and bounced. The courser was faster and kicked it away from her reach gripping her by the hair. Tears poured down her cheeks at the stomach churning pulsing from her right arm. She couldn’t move her fingers and the swelling of her hand was black enough to make her believe it was rotting right away. “Look at who you’ve got dying for you.” The courser whispered in her ear, forcing her to stare the whole courtyard down.

“You have all these innocent people who signed up to play hero. Living for you. Dying by your own words…” Maddie swallowed, not wanting this know-it-all bot get into her head. The humanitarian in her died watching people like herself… Mothers, fathers, sisters, friends. Shot through the face, kicked while they’re down, dying in missile blasts. The general released a shaking breath when a sob kicked through her chest. “This is what you wanted. You chose this. You went against your own son. What kind of mother would do that?”

Hancock felt his stomach drop when Maddie’s eyes met his from across the way. There was something wrong. Maddie must have gotten distracted, something… Next thing he knew her gun was nowhere to be found and she was clutching her hand to her middle like it’d fall off if she let it go. It was then he saw the hand tangled in her hair and the familiar rifle pressed against the crown of her head. “Son of a bitch.” He shouted, looking back at Preston just to see if he was catching onto this.

The barrel felt searing hot on the skin of her neck. She had options, neither of them good. She could get this over with right now and give herself up like a pussy would. Hand over her life like she didn’t fucking earn her very right to still be standing where she was. She could fight the courser until the gun went blazing, or so she could end this all and kill them both, herself and her synthetic copy. It was when she met John’s eyes she knew without a shadow of a doubt she’d kill herself before watching someone else she loved die.

“I can be merciful.” Synth Maddie purred in her ear. “Father really didn’t want this. You went against his whole life’s work. For what?” Her copy jabbed the back of her gun into the back of her head with enough power to send her neck snapping forward. Her nose collided with the ground face first. “Ugh!” Maddie moaned when blood gushed out over her busted lips.

Her hair was caked and knotted with blood, plasma, and whatever else it was collecting in battle. Her navy suit was black with soot. Her face bloated and swollen until she was almost unrecognizable. Yanking her by her hair she wiggled the general to her knees kneeling before the very mass she created. It wasn’t a surrender, but a sacrifice. “Gather around minutemen.” The courser laughed. “See your amazing leader on her knees before the institute. Even she knows she won’t be able to save you. You all fought for nothing.”

Preston and John shared a look with equal mortification in their eyes. In a split second the mayor was transported back in a time that was all his own. It was like watching on a cold fall night, a drifter innocently curled up on one of the sleeping matts on the street. It’d been a tough one to get through, having to pay so many taxes neither of them had any caps or even the sense to eat. They were armed to the teeth though, just because they had to be.

It was one of the night Vic’s men purged on the weak and tired. They preyed on those who busted their ass to find some place they can call safe. They weren’t anymore safe here in Goodneighbor than they were in a raider’s den. The statehouse door kicked open with men dressed in shitty vintage hand-me-downs and submachine guns broke free like releasing a wild herd of mating brahmin bulls. Vic watched from the entrance as his boys attacked innocent people.

Just like Maddie, that drifter put up one hell of a fight. It ended with him on his knees execution style just like her.

And they did nothing when he died.

They just stood there.

Despite the ruckus around them Hancock knew what to do, or better yet, to give himself a leverage. “You got any other guns on you, Garvey?” He asked, seeing the sight on his shotgun weren’t gonna be enough to take down the courser from here. “I need something with a scope.”

“There’s some near our little shop-” Hancock broke into a sprint right through the exposed castle doorways. “Hey!” Garvey barked watching him loot a sniper and ammo. He’d pay them back, but right now really was not the time to give him a speech on morals and amenities. He dodged gunfire like an unvaccinated adult dodged the plague. If he could just reach the nest on top of one of the castle walls… He could shoot the courser through and through without having to worry of any repercussions to Maddie. The real one.

It was so much easier said than done. There was too much firepower, too much robotic ambushes for him to even think of moving. Maddie’s life was on the line, and the institute was gonna milk her death like milking a hungry whore for their seed. That’s just what he needed - time. Buying it.

Maddie swallowed knowing she could just as easily buck her head, do whatever to try to drag this out more. “You don’t have to let me die like a martyr.” The general muttered, all fight from her gone. Her body must be going through some kind of shock, she figured. Fatigue was eating at her vision and the lacerations her body were taking were making her so restless all the while. “Die a martyr?” Laughed the synth. “You’re dying like a hero. You’re dying like the vain motherfucker you are.”

She cringed when her hair was yanked from the scalp staring into the dead eyes of herself. “You forget pretty, I’ve been in your head.”

“That’s the closest you’ll ever get to me.” She spat. “You can look like me, share my DNA, but you’re not fucking me.”

Rolling her eyes, the courser muttered. “I’m so tired of this shit and dragging it out. Father gave me orders to coax you back. To give you a final offer. That’s awfully noble of him, I think. Join us, or die for this deplorable land you call home.”

Maddie shook her head whispering, “I’ll fucking die for these people. For my people. Kill me. But learn they aren’t afraid.” Swallowing, she wanted to stare the courser in her eyes with the one that wasn’t swollen shut. “Kill me. Kill whoever gets in your way. There’s more to be scared of than just me.” She told her. “You can end my tyranny right here in front of my men. In front of the Institute. You motherfuckers are still gonna die.”

She said the words so proudly, because for once, she believed them.

She remembered Hancock the moment she declared war.

She remembered the rowdy cry from the brotherhood when Liberty Prime was reconstructed.

She saw the determined gleam in the Preston’s eyes when she reached settlement after settlement.

If she died right now… If she gave herself over, there’d still be so much hell to be reckoned with.

The courser sneered at that saying, “For the institute.” The head of the gun dug into the ring of fire it was pressing into her head fitting right against her lower temple.

There was a flash and a powerful bang.

She didn’t feel the blow.

The courser crumbled right over her like dead weight. Maddie couldn't fight the shocked wind that was knocked out of her the moment she met the robot’s face. It was set, but the eyes… She thought were quite dead before, were more officially cold. There bore a single bullet hole to the left of her forehead, and it was perfect match to a .308 round. Tiny, so it was shot from a distance. She wanted to look around, but didn’t have time to think.

Preston was at her side in a moment’s notice. “General, are you okay?” His voice was filled with much more emotion than she was used to from him. It made her uneasy at how distraught he sounded. “Fine.” She grunted standing up to her feet with his help. She quivered the moment she rose and toppled onto him like a crumbling wall. She couldn’t afford to be weak now, the fight wasn’t close to being done.

“We need a medic!” He cried out, ushering her behind the walls to sit on the bed. The cry didn’t go unnoticed either. He shuffled her against his side letting her lean into his shoulder as he fought to get her inside. There were robots following his every step. He shot at them, including the person raining gunfire from above. He sat her down inspecting every wound.

“I’m fine, the minutemen-” She began only breaking off in mid sentence with a shriek when he lifted her right arm to inspect the damage. Her wrist flopped lifelessly and the sensation of gliding skin over her broken bones made her puke. She looked up catching her favorite ghoul hopping down from where he was hidden above them. His shotgun was back in hand, and he had a limp to one of his legs.

He was guarding the opening catching sight of the battered woman.

She tried again to speak inhaling so sharply from the tightness in her chest. Fuck, she hoped her ribs weren’t broken. Now that her adrenaline was dwindling down she could feel everything so vividly. Her body was shutting down while her mind kept going through the motions. Of the days. Seeing herself before her like a demonic symbol of her worst nightmares, and for a moment, she felt sympathy for all the people she’d killed. Her eyes being the last thing they’d seen… There was blood of her soldiers on her hands now. Innocent lives taken for nothing more than revenge. Maddie hadn’t realized she’d been shaking until a thick blanket was drawn over her shoulders. She came back to herself seeing John kneeling down in front of her latching the blanket around her arms. “Stay with me, mungo.” He said with a forced smile.

He didn’t even wanna touch her, now seeing just how fragile she really was. The armor indulged inside of her general uniform wasn’t enough for the ambush. Her power armor was out of reach, and in use by one of the other minutemen. Her right hand was mortifyingly disfigured laying just a few inches past her left one, and terribly purple. “The minutemen.” She whispered.

It wasn’t a question, a statement, but a sobering realization that this is what it meant to be a leader. It was more than self sacrifice, all the good she’d done. It was more than the houses she built and the homes she created for drifters looking for a heart to call home. It was watching those who came to your aid die for you, die for the purpose they lived and breathed for. It was watching someone’s child writhing in pain on the battlefield. Watching the best in humanity coming together in the time of dire misery.

John breathed out a sigh shuffling to the first aid box hanging on the wall across from her. “I can’t afford to sit here.” She told him. She rose to her feet, Preston shoving her back back down by her good shoulder. “We need the general. We lost enough manpower today, Maddie.” His face was drawn tight conservatively. He meant business. Maddie wasn’t gonna argue that.

Hancock softly kissed her forehead muttering, “Sorry, kid.” He took a roll of gauze tapping her lips. “Open.” Maddie blinked in confusion, watching the ghoul as he unwound the stimpak from its plastic wrappings. She wasn’t a sissy coming to needles, this world, it was a necessity to need them. There was a new fear busting in her chest watching Hancock bring it close to her broken hand. With her free hand she gripped onto Garvey’s, biting down on the gag in her mouth to muffle the shout when her skin was pierced.

Breathing fucking hurt and all her yelling was draining her further.

She was aware now that the fighting outside was dying down, there were more standing than on the stretchers. There lay deceased, but it was a comfort seeing so little. Maddie leaned back on the cold concrete wall breathing out shuddering sighs, the stimpak helping with the composing injuries that seemed to be a never ending spread. “I think we need more medics.” She heard Garvey mutter when Hancock moved to lean on the wall by the bed. She could feel those intense eyes on her.

“What’s your first sign, Napoleon?” He snapped lightly. “There was only one stimpak. No psycho, med-x… What kind of hospital you runnin’ here?” To her surprise, she heard him chuckle.

“Guys…” She wheezed tiredly.

An unsettling silence fell over the room. She was knew they were watching her. The bleeding from her wounds had come to a slow stop by the time a doctor ran to her aid. She didn’t stay awake, she slipped into the merciless cold of exhaustion. There was laughter, and she swore that was death cackling at her.

Hancock ran his fingers through her hair haloed around the pillow. The minutemen were pumping fluids into her. They moved her to her private room to give her some privacy, but it felt more like they were making her comfortable. Mostly because it was all they could do. She wouldn’t die, but fuck, he knew she was in some pain. Shattered ribs, broken arm, an a damn good few hits to the brain. Maybe it’d knock some sense back into her. Even in this time, he couldn't afford to laugh at his own joke.

Her own son had planned her demise, and even reclaimed her for his own sick divulsion.

Seeing her dressed in a courser uniform pissed him off more than seeing her in brotherhood gear did. It was a whole new emotion that sprung up in him seeing a courser version. Knowing they’d gotten whatever DNA they needed. He grew paranoid, immediately jumping up the moment she knocked out originally. He was as anxious as Piper, but he had to be sure the Maddie laying there in the medical bay was actually Maddie.

John scavenged the corpse, searching in the head to find the device he needed. A synth component. He breathed out a relieved sigh looking it over one last time. It was just as alarming as seeing it for the first time. Her eyes so dead and unstaring, looking at him, into him… Passed him. “Maddie’s alive.” He reminded himself kicking the body to the side. “That’s not her. She’s breathing. She’s alive.”

Her battle wounds were extensive, but not life threatening. He’d been pumping Med-x into her body anytime the four hour mark hit. He also slipped her a refreshing beverage just to clear up any of her new addictions and old ones. “Not addicted my ass.” He muttered bitterly when they had to strip her body free of her uniform for inspection. The buffout bottle she found just days ago was empty, and the convulsions when she slipped the addictol through her IV feed said something entirely different.

She stirred awake again for the fifth time that morning, and he knew her broken bones and sore muscles were beginning to return the aches. “Easy, Rocky.” Hancock said, kneeling down to shuffle through her pack. He could make any medicine he desired with all the junk she’d been sure to scavenge up. “Babe…” The way she said the nickname made him freeze. He glanced over at her to see the familiar tenderness in her warmth of brown eyes.

She reached the arm out that wasn’t in a sling. He crossed the room in three strides leaning down to kiss her bruised face. She was a sight to look at with a gargantuan swollen mass on one side. “You need rest, Maddie. We can talk about this when you’re better.” He explained.

“I need you.” She responded. “John, you saw her. You saw me.”

“Kind of hard not to.” He countered. “That was some scary shit.”

“What if there’s more? What if they fix her up?”

“That’s all what-ifs, Mads.” He sat down on his side of the bed kicking up his legs and rolling them together, back braced on the headboard. “We’ll bring an end to this.”

“We strike back once and for all.”

“When you’re better.” He reiterated cautiously. “You took a beating. I do have to ask…”

He hung his hat up on the post next to him.

“Why the hell did you even think to take a knee like that? Would you really expect us to sit there and do nothing while you gave yourself up?”

There wasn’t any accusation or anger in his voice, more like curious bewilderment. “After all I’ve seen you fight through. There were so many advantages. But you… You sat execution style. Ya think that if they killed ya that would be it? We’d give up too?”

She shook her head with a lazy roll from side to side. “I would die for you guys first. I knew there’d be hell to pay. I saw you, I saw Preston… I saw men and women dying left and right. War. It never changes. They could kill me, but there’s so much more than me. I wanted them to see that.”

Maddie gritted her teeth when she attempted to switch her posture so her lower back wasn’t screaming from how she was laying. Hancock reached an arm under her to help her right away. He’d been careful on how and where he touched her. It was like she was so easy to break. It was as if that little moment reminded him about it. “Kill me all they may. The commonwealth has had enough.”

John muttered something unintelligible, whether it was on purpose or not Maddie didn’t pay attention. “I didn’t think I’d ever have to see you of all people there. I told myself I’d be goddamned if I sat there and did nothing watching someone else die at the hands of an overseer like that again. I’d be damned if I ever let you go that way.” John brushed some of her hair out of her face just to dab a vodka soaked cotton ball on the gash running from her forehead to her cheek.

He’d stitched up the main pieces, but she’d be pissed there’d be a scar in a place so obvious as her face. “She didn’t kill me right away. She had orders. I was expecting her to get me there and out while she had the chance to.” She confessed, leaning her cheek on his arm splayed across her. “I guess that was enough for you to snipe her down.”

“Well,” He began with the familiar smugness in his voice, “Most of the other coursers were distracted by seeing you in such a position. Just goes to show your sexiness appeals to more than just a horny ol’ ghoul like me.” Maddie managed a giggle. Hearing it as tired and breathy as it was, it warmed up his cold dead heart.

He retreated back just to look at her, thanking whatever upper power there was she was still kicking as hard as before. Her face could me as disfigured as it wanted, but those eyes… That was something no scientist could recreate. The way they softened like melted butter when she looked his way, the smile hidden in the flecks of gold and honey. “I love you.” She told him.

He kissed her hair saying, “I know ya do. But ya also need your rest.”

Rolling her eyes she just did as she was told for once. She was in bliss when the med-x hit her system like a punch from a drunk angry biker man. Once she was asleep Hancock breathed a sigh of relief. There was a final silence that filled up the room, but it wasn’t heavy like it had been in anticipation for the Institute’s attack. It’d take a little more time and ammunition, but there wasn’t a single seed of doubt in the old ghoul’s mind that their army of misfits, minutemen, and brotherhood could wipe their slate clean.

Just a shame they’d have to chase them out of town, or destroy them all together after all this other bullshit was said and done.

Knowing Maddie well enough now, she’d try to lull the brotherhood out of the commonwealth and send them back to DC if she could help it. She’d want no more blood on her hands if she could help it. Lucky for her though, this mayor here didn’t give a flying fuck about getting his hands the least bit filthy. He’d be man enough and walk away for her sake, but the option was always still there.

He’d love to stay and pretend everything was okay, but there was a relief clean up in need of servicing.

Outside, he helped move the bodies of the dead to the graves they created near the back hangout of the castle. Maddie found it appropriate, a blissful place for the sun to shine down on their final resting place. Judging by the look on her face, it wasn’t up for negotiation when someone brought up the sea levels. “We want to see them as brightly as they were in life.” She explained, eyes shining with the tears she refused to let show. “We don’t want to bury them in misery, or make their gravesite anymore depressing than it needs to be. If we can contact family, we bury them as they wish.”

There were a total of fifty in counting, not including the ones in more critical condition back in the medical area. “What about the dead synths?” Preston asked when he approached the area caked in blood soaked rubble and dust. The crops and turrets were destroyed beyond repair. That didn’t stop the others from continuing on like normal every day to day activities despite it.

Hancock shrugged. “Haven’t got a fuckin’ clue. I say we use them for target practice.” He lit a cigarette surveying the white and mechanical robots. He moved the coursers out to sea, watching them sink to the bottom and be torn to shreds by mirelurks. Even the one of Maddie. That was the first body he got rid of all on his own.

The minuteman snorted, but didn’t seem to protest. “We’ve suffered a lot of casualties. We’re gonna need to do a lot of searching before we’re ready to take on the Institute.” He looked over at the mayor, a bare eyebrow cocking up when he met his gaze. “We’re gonna have help you know.” He said matter of factly. “Not downplaying your power here, Napoleon. I just don’t want the brotherhood getting too big of a head.”

“I’d hate to have their help at all. We could do it alone, in more orderly fashion. Not some fancy bomb throwing robot. That’s do more harm than good in the commonwealth. Destroying homes, towns… Who’s to say they won’t make pit stops along the way?”

“Are you… Suggesting what I think you are?” Hancock demanded agitatedly. “You said towns. Are you saying they think _my_ town is a threat to them?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, mayor.”

“Well. We’ll just have to make sure they keep their pretty little hands in their pockets and keep off what doesn’t belong to them.” Purred Hancock dangerously. His eyes grew dark and the smile on his face wasn’t close to being pretty, nor was it kind. “Or I won’t have a choice but go against our loving general’s wishes and take them down one by one.”

Preston didn’t mind the idea, but he wasn’t one to disobey orders if given. He knew just as well as John that the Brotherhood clearly was no friend to them. They were a foe waiting to take over. “I heard what they did to rivet city.” Said he, surveying the landscape. “Took some kind of reactor, bombed the whole city full of innocent civilians. I have no doubt in my mind once the Institute is out of power, or out of time, they’ll be quick to rob us of whatever resources they haven’t reached before.”

“I think the minutemen will have to stay on their toes in that case. I’ve seen the serious firepower Maddie’s snuck in here. These fancy warlords and their metal gorillas _really_ like their pretty gadgets. I am one to say they know how to make an entrance.” He took a drag of his cigarette breathing out the smoke as he said, “If they weren’t some privileged bigots, I may even like them.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!! It’s lexi obviously but listen. I’m still healing but attempting to get out this story just bc this whole incident has caused me to lose muse a little bit. However, I’m back with another update! It’s not as long as I like it, but I am still healing and typing or writing is killing my hand. Enjoy tho!!!

“John.” Came Maddie’s stiff command, back turned to the ghoul as she bent over the weapon’s bench. She was welding away on a mod for one of her submachine guns. He was on the opposite side of the room doing what he did best. Making chems. Cocking an bare eyebrow he turned hearing his name spoken. “My angel.” He responded much more warmly. He slid his arms around her from behind kissing the back of her head.

Here lately, she wasn’t responsive to any forms of affection. War was weighing heavy on her mind, and she was stuck as General Eisenhower instead of Maddie Preston. This time, he felt her relax back on him thankfully. He smiled warmly and pressed his luck. He brushed her ponytail away leaning down to kiss along the back of her neck tasting the sweat that beaded up. He felt his palms along the clammy smooth skin of her arms until his hands cupped over the top of hers.

He loosened her too tight hold on the weapon at hand. She sighed exasperatedly, “John, I need your help,” She turned to look at him seriously, leaving the weapon for a moment. He cupped her face and kissed her fiercely to shut her up. He felt her swallow when his tongue dipped past her lips. He forced her back to brace on the table behind her growling against the corner of her mouth when he pulled back, “Leave this for a moment, Mads…”

She shook her head shoving on his chest just a little, “We have too much to do.” She whispered to him, eyes narrowing a little in warning. The ghoul shook his head hooking his fingers through hers speaking tenderly but seriously, “Maddie. When was the last time we had time together without all this shit goin’ on?” The petite woman pondered popping her lower lip into her mouth gnawing gently on it.

Breathing out a chuckle he held the dip in her hips pulling her closer to him so the shadow of his hat blocked both of them from view of any of the minutemen outside. “That’s what I thought.” He muttered when she couldn’t come up with anything. “John,” Maddie protested more eagerly this go round. “We’re on borrowed time.”

“Can’t you spare some time for me?”

His tone was playful, but at this point she knew him well enough to hint the anxiety lying underneath. She knew she was being plenty difficult and spacious. The last thing she wanted to do was push him away anymore than she had prior. She rested her cheek on his chest looping her arms around his neck muttering, “I’m sorry.” She murmured.

“Hey,” He chuckled the slightest, rubbing his hands up and down her back of the thin tshirt she wore, “it happens… I think we’ve had enough tension between the two of us you know. I just wanna say where you’re not General, and I’m not mayor. This shit is fun ya know, but…” He twirled her ponytail around his hand tugging it back so he could see that beautiful face of hers. The bruising went down a lot, and she had plenty of scarring left to heal, but that was still his girl looking back up at him. “I miss my lady love.”

At that, Maddie smiled. Her eyes twinkled in mischief and she leaned in to steal a kiss. Hancock quickly dipped down to lose himself in the sweet delight of her plush lips and soft skin. The way she fit so easily against him, welcoming him in like a sweet sweet sinful snack. “I love you.” She whispered, snuggling into him with her arms clenched around him.

He pet her hair kissing into it with a rebutted, “I love ya too, sunshine.”

She grinned fully mumbling, “Let’s go get drunk. Forget about life for a moment.”

Everytime she spoke it was like she couldn’t stop leaning into him, getting closer. The lights strung along the outside clubhouse lit up the darkened evening around them. She was clashing into him like waves on the coast, giggling with her half empty bottle of bourbon rolling down to sit on the waterline of the ocean spanning before them. “You’re so cute when you’re tipsy.” He commented, laughing himself when she leaned too far to the left and toppled over, crossed legs sky high.

“‘M not.” She slurred, digging her palms into the sandy Earth in an attempt to sit back up straight. Her dark ponytail was half down her back with tendrils of wavy hair falling around her angled face like little messy legs of a disabled spider. And Hancock could admit, he couldn’t be anymore in love with this woman than he was now. Maddie was laughing and swigging from a bottle, talking a whole lot of nothing, but a whole lot of something. It was the way her eyes got big when he said her name, or the way she’d jump when he tried to get her attention.

The drunken kisses were always the best, he thought. They were even better when they were from someone who genuinely loved you to hell and back. “I don’t know what the fuck I did to get a hot mess like you.” John said, chugging a mouthful of whiskey. He swiped the back of his hand along his mouth grinning over at her, “But I’m goddamned glad I won you over.”

“Oh, Johnny boy!” She exclaimed dramatically falling against his lap. “You were daring me to punch you in the face, and I almost did. But you were cute, and had the confidence of a naked man on a nude beach. I loved ya the moment I lay my eyes on ya face.”

She was giggling staring up past the obsidian eyes looking down at her. His eyes could blend in with the night, she thought. She reached up stroking the back of her fingers along his face with a crooked smile. “Beautiful.” From someone else he never would have listened, but it was the way her pupils dilated when their eyes met, how she stared in awe like he was the long lost ark of Noah. It was the way she touched him when she let him lay there on her chest after a long night.

Chuckling, “Ya got something in your eyes, sister?” He flicked a strand of hair from out of her face as if that was the only thing clouding her judgement. She dramatically just breathed out a sigh, rolling her head to the side. She stared out at the water through her fuzzy vision, listened to the soft whisper of the waves threatening to come up and lick the two of them. She wanted the water to take her away. She missed the way it felt to run along the shores and play tag with the tide. She missed a lot of things. This water wreaked of chemicals, and tasted of metal sometimes. She didn’t realize it but she was starting to doze off feeling the alcohol clouding her judgement and sobriety. “Think ‘m drunk.” Buzzed Maddie.

“I think you are too.” Laughed the mayor, who had twice as much as her. He was a ghoul, and their intake was much higher than the average human’s. “Ya lightweight.” He all but tossed her on the ground when he got up. Maddie just groaned with her face in the sand, dark hair surrounding her. She muffled something, but Hancock just shook his head.

This was his drunk idiot. And fuck, did he love little moments like these.

Her fingers found his like clockwork, he reached down for her and without any hesitation her fingers found his. They were so strong and warm, kind of like her father’s. He had a smile and a personality to dazzle anyone. She had the determined prowl of a huntress and eyes as sharp as her whit. He helped her to her tumbling feet. She grinned when she leaned too far to the left, but his arm was around her to steady her once again.

“Thank ya!” She beamed, laughing through the strings of sea kissed hair that fell over her gorgeous face. “Well,” Hancock found himself at a loss for words. She was glowing like someone planted pilot lights on every inch of her illustrated body. Her teeth were as white as the moon and those startling eyes of hers twinkled like the stars above. There was no stress on her face aging her, there was hardly any trace of the steel cold leader he’d come accustomed to.

This was his best friend, his everything.

Dressed in cut off shorts and a messy oiled up tank top, hair a mess with her ponytail clinging on for dear life at the end of a knotted up strand of wavy hair. Her lashes cast a dark dancing shadow when she swayed on her feet even with him keeping her anchored. She was a beautiful fucking mess. She collected his face and kissed him like it was the last and final time she’d ever do it. It was all her sleepless nights and all the ones he sacrificed for her. It was all the worry and all the rage they put into each other, just because it was all they knew.

It’s her tears and strain and fight, and his unwavering loyalty to her regardless of how many times they went to bed angry only to wake up to them back in bed, or just in the same room. Her lips were home, so plush pulsing with her racing heartbeat. Her breath puffing hot when he tugged back just to kiss her lower lip, then upper one. She whined when he retreated until their moans were smothered by their tongues and passionate little mewls.

When Maddie pulled back her gaze was staggering trying to focus on his face. “You,” She hissed in a whisper, “I love you.” She fell against his chest like deadweight on her feet. Hancock didn’t budge, but instead hugged her tight. “And I you.” He responded, kissing into her scalp. “But, I think ya had enough fun.”

Like a child, she shook her head rapidly. Truth is, she didn’t wanna go back to this.

“Run away with me.”

Her voice was distant even to him.

“Where would we go, princess?” He asked.

“Anywhere where they can’t get us.” She whimpered.

“A lady who can tame a deathclaw scared of a few scary scientists?” He teased/

Maddie just huffed. Because, she is a child at heart.

“Listen…” He buried his lips into her hair stroking his palms along the length of her arms. He’d never get enough of how soft her skin was, scarred, bruised, but tastefully so goddamn sultry to him. “Once we get these bad guys out of the way,” He tugged back curling a finger under her chin tilting those eyes up to him again, “we’ll go anywhere. I’d follow you to hell.”

“Kind of hard when we’re already there.” She confessed softly.

He snorted at that smothering her words with a feverous kiss hoping to forget the worries of the real word at least for a little while longer.

There’s no girl in the world like his, she was his and his alone. That trust was never a question. He knew her inside and out, up and down, side to side. Even in times when they were at each other’s throats he couldn’t embrace the fury long. One look at those eyes… Maddie was leaning on the wall of the castle awaiting the brotherhood’s magnificent entrance. Hancock was stiff at her side the knife in his fist resting against his bulky bicep. “Be nice.” Maddie’s voice was as tight as the anger swirling up inside him.

He didn’t respond but instead puffed on the cigarette in his mouth.

From here she could see the large robot from over the river, and felt both uneasiness and determination dripping like acid into her heart. It was burning and swallowing up any humanity left in her. She was channeling the ruthless killer she knew was inside her. From the corner of his eyes, Hancock noticed the coiled up tension in her frame and he knew this was all or nothing. This wasn’t his Maddie he was staring at.

It sent shivers even down his spine at the similarities between the synth version of herself, and the bleeding, breathing one next to him now. Those once warm chocolate eyes were dark as tar, cold as the steel perched around her curvy hips. He turned to capture her hand. He almost flinched away when her eyes cut over to him like some stranger intruding to her home. “Listen.” He kissed her fiercely and quickly, a reminder that there was a team here. It was them. Sure, they had company. This was something that was theirs. She returned it and for a moment she softened, cupping his cheek with her palm. There was no tremor in it. There was a solid rock against his ruined face.

The moment the vertibirds flocked in v formation over the gigantic iron giant approaching, she yanked away just as fast as she walked that pretty ass into Goodneighbor. Preston walked over with a nod to the ghoul, then to the general. “Are you ready?” Asked the black male.

Maddie jutted her chin up, “Fucking ready.” A smirk danced on her lips finally facing the final product of whatever mysterious project the brotherhood prided themselves on. The ground shook when its giant feet slammed down on the ground crumbling any remaining asphalt into pebbles.

“Liberty Prime.” Hancock gasped in both alarm and amazement.

“You’ve heard of it?” Preston asked, turning to look at the mayor with raised eyebrows.

“Of course. Across the nation there, Preston, Brotherhood used it to take out the enclave… It was destroyed. So we thought.”

Suspicion now swirled in his head looking Maddie’s away. There was a dangerous way she smiled when Danse broke through with Elder Maxson, surprisingly, at his aid. John knew she knew, but… This was a little scary. He motioned for Preston to follow, “A giant robot that kills anyone who disagrees with its masters. Leave it to the Brotherhood to sap all the meaning out of the word liberty.” He mumbled.

“I don't know that we really want to invite more Brotherhood forces into the Commonwealth, General…” Garvey vocalized.

“A little too late for that.” Both her and Hancock stated.

He smiled just the tad bit at that approaching with her crowd of minutemen against the huge brotherhood gorillas in some of the most impressive suits of power armor he’d seen in a minute. Danse nodded Hancock’s way, while Arthur kept his stick-up-his-ass posture, hands folded behind his back.

“Let's get this done.” Straight to the point.

Maddie didn’t hesitate a moment, but nodded curtly. “Men. Move out.” She commanded.


	24. Chapter 24

Maddie counted each footstep.

One.

Two.

Three.

“Boom!”

Four.

Liberty Prime tossed mini nukes like footballs, all this work, sacrifice, for a robot that destroyed the commonwealth more than seemed to be helping. Bodies lay scattered and tossed aside, some Brotherhood, a few minutemen. Synths, raiders, and gunners lay disposed like garbage. War was never easy to handle, no matter by who or even what. Lives lost, some innocent, some deserving a fate much worse than such.

Blood scattered her leather jumpsuit dripping down from the shaft of the blade in her hand, protecting Hancock from a close encounter while he was fighting off a synth at his front. He didn’t even see the gunner coming for him. She was panting by the time the mercenary collapsed at her feet. “You okay?” Hancock grabbed her shoulder to look her over.

His eyes met hers and he could easily read the distress in them. They were as grand as saucers, begging for this to end. It wasn’t even close to beginning the actual civil war. This wasn’t a sixteenth as bad as it was gonna get, and this woman looked like she was gonna be sick. They both knew they didn’t have time to exchange okays, and be carefuls.

Instead, the ghoul took her hand in his leading her to the ruins of the Commonwealth Institute of Technology ruins. Preston flanked her left, the brotherhood running ahead mingling with her own men. Right now, there was only one stresser between the two factions, and that there, was protecting the commonwealth at all costs. Maddie’s stomach was twirling over and over the closer the huge robot stomped on, leaving craters behind. More work for me to put out after this is done, she thought.

Taking a moment, the general scanned her horizons, taking in the shriveled grey toned wasteland around her. She saw colors before, but in this very second, the war against the Institute presented the land in such a foreboding way it made her wanna double over and beg for the familiar warmth she once saw. She’d never be the same after this, taking out her own son, destroying years of dedication to destroying humanity.

Humanity. Something synths had more of than bleeding, heart beating humans do.

She didn’t have time to feel sorry for herself, not even close. “Communist detected on American soil. Lethal force engaged." Prime alerted the moment synths swarmed in from all directions.

“John!” Preston addressed him for the first time ever. It wasn’t mayor, or Hancock, or sir, but his actual name. The ghoul looked just as alarmed by the black male calling him over. “You take her back, Danse and I will cover her left and right.”

Maddie nodded curtly, releasing a nervous shudder reminding herself of the castle’s attack. “I’ll face north. All men, get ready, this is the beginning of the rest of our lives.” Paladin Danse casted a look over as they merged into their formation. These were people with different beliefs, one wanting to save humanity and eliminate all forms of mutations like bigots, the other wanting the commonwealth safe and sound regardless.

“For the commonwealth.” Purred Hancock with a dangerous sneer.

Repeated back triumphantly, “For the commonwealth!” From their army.

Then it was chaos surrounding them.

It was hard to focus on all at what was going on, there were cries of women and men. In the distance even children. Maddie felt tears threatening to come to her eyes dispersing each robotic sentient like they were nothing. A sharp shot paid off. If she let herself fall now, there’d be no way to win against the very enemy they came here for. Shaun.

Her pistol was bucking wildly with each shot, she wanted to send an apology over to Hancock every time she bumped him, but he hardly budged as it was. A courser appeared so suddenly the mayor didn’t have time to react, not even with the help of jet. His shotgun was slapped from his hands, getting the butt end of a laser pistol. He tumbled to the side with a disgruntled groan. “Now I’m feral!” He yelled. The ghoul broke free pistol whipping the courser, retrieving his own weapon from him.

Maddie grinned to herself rolling around the shoulder of the Institute bounty, picking her gun up right under his jaw and setting it off. “You okay?” She whispered, cupping his chin and kissing him quickly.

He smiled at her aiming the shotgun over her shoulder releasing into the crowd of synths behind her. “I’m good, beautiful.” With that, they departed again. They needed a way to get into the institute, but with the swarms of ants pouring in from every direction it was kind of hard. Maddie nibbled the inside of her cheek stepping through the patchy cement rubble to find elder Maxson fighting off a synth.

She ran over cutting the wires of the neck, dismantling the optics momentarily. Arthur looked over at her with a war drawn nod, shooting right through its chest plates. “How are we gonna get in with all these robots coming at us?” She asked him. “Liberty Prime is gonna be distracted with all of this. If we could just get him… It, her. Whatever, okay.” She inhaled sharply grabbing him by the shoulders. It was like striking the pope usually, but not even the elder seemed to notice how startling her move was. “Get Liberty to get us inside the institute. Leave behind some of our men, we have to get in. If we keep fighting like this, we won’t have very many men left.” She explained urgently.

“You’re right, Paladin.” He admitted gruffly. “Paladin Danse,” He called. It had been the first time since the synth switch hunt even as much as looked his way. Danse turned to look at him with a softness there in his eyes. Maddie understood, because this was gonna be his last chance to be a Brotherhood soldier. Arthur couldn’t ignore that this man, synth or human, dedicated his life to the cause. He’d defend it ‘til the very end.

Maddie ran over to him with Arthur in tow. “Liberty Prime is gonna get us inside the institute. We need extra fire to hold it down until that happens.” His dark eyes assessed her, searching her gore ridden face. There was admiration under the steel face he wore, but she knew him well enough to know what he was saying. Sympathetically, she touched his face with her fingertips. “No matter what, you’ve been a damn good man. You served the brotherhood well.” She said tenderly.

Danse offered a hint of a smile. “I appreciate that, Paladin. We have a mission at hand currently. We can exchange praise later when the Institute is destroyed. Get ready, general.” Maddie smiled turning to the large robot. “Prime. Do your thing.”

Hancock was at her side the moment the large red beams dug into the soft soil where the robot found a soft place into the underground facility. John’s hands were on her arms pulling her close. She savored in the familiar comfort he brought her, she had no fucking clue how she remotely got here before she met him. He was her favorite pain in the ass, but her strongest rock that kept her as grounded as the bits of metal, soil, and asphalt under the Robot’s feet.

She knew there was no returning.

“Let’s take these underground motherfuckers down.” She breathed catching sight of the giant hole in the ground now.

He moved to her side with a stance she’d never seen from him. All the rage, disappointment, sorrow, melancholy, and happiness collided inside of him. His knuckles were white even against his burnt skin gripping his shotgun. There was a fierceness to his scowl, eyes focused ahead on the people who brought his whole town hell. He was seeing families mourning loved ones, children, babies. The love of his life collapsing the moment she learned her son was a grown man leading such a disastrous reign of terrany.

Something like fear conjured up staring at him. This was feral, and imagining him like that at a time like this wasn’t comforting. She dashed forward sliding down the rubble and dirt like she was riding a skateboard. She skidded to a stop shooting into the crowd of synths. She would not be worn down. She was gonna go as hard as she could. The safety of her home required it, she had so much pent up rage, and now she could release it.

There was a side of Maddie so dark, she hid it. It lashed out with raiders, but this. The Institute. The whole plot of her fucking misery. Killing Nate, Shaun releasing her like some rat in a cage to be experimented on. He fucked up. His experiment backfired, because she had not only one army behind her, but two. Three including the triggermen keeping watch at the castle, keeping things steady there.

Four, counting herself.

They never let up on her, suffocated her with every fucking terrible thing they could throw at a five foot woman. She hardly registered the bodies dropping at her feet left and right. The room whizzed past her with how fast she was going, tearing through bodies like slicing bread. Fuck her gun, this was war. She wanted to feel each courser take its last breath, hear them gurgle on their coolant. At the moment, she didn’t care they bled just like her. They were anything but human, and what’s fucked, is she recognized the face of some of them.

Hancock watched Maddie with fascination and terror. They were fending off the new attackers room after room, but his lover was the most ruthless he’d ever seen. Her teeth were bared and exposed like a mountain lion seizing up its prey. Her adrenaline must be pumping, because any blow wasn’t holding her down. “Son of a bitch.” He heard Preston wheeze, bent over with his hands on his knees the moment the last synth dropped.

Clapping him on his back, John gave him a sympathetic little expression. “Ya did good, Napoleon.” The minutemen smiled.

“Thanks, mayor.” He panted in response. He rose up at the waist staring at the back of Maddie. She was panting just as hard, tears mixed with blood, nuclear material, and plasma on her face. She wanted to keep moving, but she knew there were innocent people in here. These scientists, the ones ducking and hiding… They weren’t part of this, but the very ravenous side of her completely argued back that it was bullshit. They knew what they were doing, hiding food, and gorgeous technology…

Hancock caught onto her train of thought following her eyes to the people in the room before them.

“No.” His words were hard. “Who the fuck appointed you executioner?” He demanded lightly, putting a hand on her trembling shoulder.

Her eyes met his with a darkness so neverending he flinched back.

He gripped both shoulders turning her to face him fully now. “You will not harm these people, Madeleine. Ya dig? We sound the alarm, evacuate before we blow this place to shreds. You will not take their lives.” His expression was stern and steady, and Maddie knew he was right.

The sane side of her at least.

The one in control now was foolish and ran off of her bloodlust she rightfully shed. She wanted every motherfucker in here to suffer, to burn just like the rest of them. “We’ll see.” Her voice was steel, hard and so fucking cold to the touch. Worry set in his gut. He didn’t know this side of Maddie. He fought through with her through a lot of things, he supposed he couldn’t blame her. She was a grieving mother and wife, and had to make the most hardest decision no one should ever have to do.

She was choked up by emotion, seeing red, blacking out from the pure fury coiling up in her stomach like a fireball and releasing in vivid slashes of knives, and the blows of her hands. “They took my life from me.” She cast her gaze to the sword clenched tightly in her fist. “I’m gaining my fuckin’ freedom.”

She whirled to face the minutemen, brotherhood, staring each of them in their eyes letting them read the serious democracy she was demanding at the moment. “We spare the lives of those that don’t throttle us. If they run, let them be. Everything else in here is free game.” Jerking her sword up above her head, she cried, “No one shall ever live in fear again.” She stared over at Elder Maxson, a warning clear in her eyes, You’re next.

Her arm flopped to her side keeping their staring contest before she broke it turning her back to take the flank of lead again. “Give them no fuckin’ room to breathe.”

Hancock would never have imagined the Institute to live in such a luxurious place. All white walls, something so beautiful, despite the darkness surrounding them. “So this is what it looks like….” Mused Preston so low, John wasn’t sure he should have registered it. Though, of course he had to agree, this was something majestic.

He was so taken by the view he didn’t realize that the peaceful median of the Institute was going into lockdown. Lush green plants, crystal clear fountains of pure, clean water… The rooms surrounding them slid closed, but to them, they were alone. So he thought. Maddie turned in time to see a courser fading into view. He was centimeters behind Hancock a magnum branded in his hand. It was curious, but the fact he carried a weapon such as that, when they had their own brand of rifles, hardly registered with her.

“John!” She shrieked, just as the gun went off.

It all happened so slowly. His eyes widened in alarm looking her way, but feeling the company warming his backside. He didn’t have time to turn though his hands were on the holster of his shotgun. His coat turned dramatically like Alexander Hamilton himself, but it was too late. There was a vomit inducing squish of the bullet piercing his skin of his abdomen. He stared up into the eyes of the courser, glasses tinted so dark he couldn’t read the eyes of the bounty hunter who’d just taken his life.

Blood poured from the hole. Funny thing is, Hancock couldn’t feel any pain. Instead, he felt just… Warmth. It was alien, it didn’t belong there in his stomach. It was like someone warmed up a water bottle and was pressing it right there above his belly button, when he had one. Maddie felt her breath catch in her throat when he collapsed over like a kicked can.

Hell broke loose, and her self control dispersed trying to fight her way to the ghoul.

“Fucking no!” Her voice was a panicked shriek fighting through the arms of her men restraining her from reaching him. She was aware of a medic there on scene, one dressed in power armor. In fact…

Danse was tending to John.

Given the poor Paladin’s fate, Maddie wasn’t surprised to see him going against the Brotherhood’s ghoul hating policy. Considering he was a pure physical example of everything they hated, and he could feel what it was like to be targeted by bigots. “General, General!” Preston gripped her waist yanking the fighting captain back roughly. “General, stop! You have a mission!” He reminded her.

But even he agreed by the radiated blood pooling around him at an alarming rate was very concerning.

This was war, but taking Hancock from her… She lost enough.

Maddie whirled on Preston crying in despair, “Fuck your mission! Help him!”

Her world was quickly crumbling watching Danse overturning her lover to see his face. Those eyes… The light was fading from them. She fought through sliding down on her knees next to him dodging firepower a moment or two. She cupped his face shaking him just lightly, because she was in a panic. Moving someone so rapidly with a bullet lodged in such a sensitive area… “No, please.” She begged through her teeth. She held his face trying to get him to focus on her.

His eyes rolled back and forth lifelessly, she knew he was trying to make sense of what the fuck was going on around him. Danse watched the woman he sponsored, seeing her so defenseless over a ghoul… Over, John, that was his name. She had genuine love for this… Creature. A man. A radiated one, but a man nonetheless. He fought by his side, saw how he protected his men even when they’d throw him into the line of fire if it meant serving Arthur Maxson as proudly as they could.

“Baby, please stay.” She grabbed his hand in hers feeling the warmth she seeked quickly dwindling away. A sob scratched through her chest. His eyes fell shut, and she was ripped from him just as fast as everything happened. _"John!"_ Maddie fought tooth and nail shredding at the clothing of the people that dragged her away. _"Let me go!"_ Her voice was full of condemning contempt thrashing her long hair back and forth wrenching her arms with the strength of the commonwealth and brotherhood combined. "Maddie, he'll be okay!" Snapped the black male, shoving her back. The general wheezed out painfully with a cry that wasn't her own. She was lifeless in Preston’s grip watching them load up body after body, along with her lover’s, on stretchers rushing them out amidst the trenches of war.

Her arms were pinned behind her by the minutemen just in case she went after the innocent people trying to escape. Overhead a siren sounded registering an evacuation order. The general hung her head with tears cascading down her soiled face, her whole body thrashing with each choking wails she shouted. To see your general who always wore a brace face in such a devastated state… He read the empathetic faces around them. Soldiers lowered their hats to their chests, bowing their heads in memorial. "He's not dead." She panted, swiping her thumb to wipe the blood dripping from her broken lip. "He's not fuckin' dead yet."

Slowly, he released her arms for her to fold to her knees in the middle of the place she vowed to destroy. _By the power of Goodneighbor, on my broken heart, we’ll destroy this place. I’ll make Shaun pay for taking everything from me_ , she vowed. Her head snapped up the moment synths around her powered down, each one, individually, losing life with a push of a button.

Without another word, she followed the doors unfolding for her following it like a yellow brick road.

“I’m gonna kill you, Shaun.” She swore rushing through the corridors leading to his quarters.


	25. Chapter 25

She had half a mind to kill Shaun on sight, in cold blood. However, when the doors to his room slid open she had trouble seeing him until… Maddie glanced over the her right finding him bed bound. Confusion etched on her face for a moment. His piercing blue eyes were staring her over with such hatred it fueled that temper of hers. Her fingers tickled to the knife in the band on her thighs. “It's not enough that I lay here, dying... Now you plan on what, destroying everything?” He only had the strength to face her when she rounded the room.

She might be some cold killer, but her motherly instincts kicked in. Something wasn’t right with him. The obvious aside… He aged three years within such a short time. His eyes were bloodshot, skin clinging to his frail bones like leather over sticks. He was ill. That’s when it registered, he said he was dying.

She inhaled through her nose swallowing the guilt that balled up in her throat. This was her son, she was gonna have to kill him. When she thought of Nate and Hancock, it made so much sense. Until she recounted laying there in the hospital with the baby rocked in her arms. The gentle way his hand curled around one of her fingers because of how small he was. She lost that time with him.

He could play the mama card all he wanted, he even said so himself… They were strangers. Only she knew of the unrequited love still lying dormant under the fuel of hatred for this place. Sadly… For him too. Shaun hitched in a shaking breath that sounded like he used all the strength in his fragile little carcas to say, “It's too late to be sorry.” Which she had to agree. Apologies were far behind the two of them now.

She looked around at the room seeing such a tidy space. She couldn’t bring herself to face him. They were two very different species of humans. Even in death, he was clean and pristine as a brand new car pulled right off the lot. She, on the other hand, was covered in filth and the throes of war. The whole area was like Codsworth swam through her cleaning every three seconds. The commonwealth might be a mess, but no amount of draw to a sanitized area would ever take her love away for it.

There was a tense silence. “Are you in any pain?” She eventually asked, turning to look at him now. She turned her nose up lightly trying to not look so concerned. She was in pain.

“Yes, of course. But that will end soon enough, won't it? All thanks to you…” He responded bitterly.

She snorted.

Shaun pressed on, “You're dooming the Commonwealth, you know that? It will never survive without the Institute!”

“Bullshit!” She snapped, branding the knife right under his chin in a hot second.

She found his pulse, felt him swallow against the blade.”You think you're in pain now? I can make you bleed. Make you beg me for death.” The resistance made the sick part of her grin, feeling his skin splitting open so slowly, running against her fingers the deeper she dug into him… He looked to her with alarm written in his features.

“You'd threaten your own child? There's no greater pain you can cause me than you already have.”

She wrenched the blade up higher against his throat, eyes narrowed. He knew right away she’d kill him without a second thought, draw his death out to her content. He wasn’t dumb to know she lost two mates to him, his men. Even if Nate really was out of his control. The hatred flames in her eyes were enough to set this whole place ablaze. He lit the firewood to this, and she'd distinguish it with his flesh and blood, tears, his misery.

The longer she watched, the more her sane side slipped out. The mother, seeing him as an infant instead of the brainwashed tyrant. “Shaun, I…” She began, her voice sounding so sympathetic she didn’t recognize it. She didn’t know where these words were coming from. “I hoped there was something more I could do. I wanted to save you.” Even in the heat of war, that love for him sprung up from the rubble of the old Maddie. He just turned his head away from her words, just like he turned families against one another. Just like he switched people, why, she still couldn’t understand.

_The way he wrenched Hancock from you like taking a child’s favorite teddy bear._

“If you help me, we can minimize casualties on both sides.” She begged. Fuck, she lost enough. She’d have to return home and bury someone’s child… She lost so many men, and… She didn’t wanna think of the possibility John wouldn’t make it out alive. She wouldn’t be able to handle that at all.

“Coming from someone who has stormed the Institute and plans to destroy it?” He demanded incredulously. “Forgive me if I don't believe you.”

“You agree to help me, and I'll save as many of your people as I can.”

“All you could hope to offer them is a short, painful life in a dying world.” He argued.

She gritted her teeth growling out of them, “Help me, and we can try and minimize the casualties in all this. You want your people to survive, don't you?”

Shaun sighed heavily looking to her once again, “I won't help you destroy the Institute. Just... get out of here.” He closed his eyes going limp there in his bed, giving up whatever fight he had growing in his mind.

Maddie turned with her hand on the railing of his bed, Shaun whispered, “The terminal behind me... Enter access code 9003.” She blinked a few times, wondering if he said it. He was only breathing now. She did as she could though, immediately throwing herself to the computer. “That will disable some of the synths, and turrets… Now go. Just... leave me.”

And so she did.

Making it to the reactor room was something so much easier. She didn’t hesitate to attach the detonation to it. “You did good, general.” Sturges’ voice came through the speakers overhead. “Let me beam you up out of here so we can light ‘em up.” The ground dispersed beneath her just a second later. She lost her footing when she landed back at the relay room. Preston was there with most of the minutemen and Brotherhood.

Elder Maxson had a grin on his face for once, proud to have such a soldier taking this hell hole down.

Preston looked like her reflection, which meant he had no good news to give her. Her hand reached out to take his. Her first friend in the commonwealth. Her second in command. That was her only comfort right now in all of this at the moment. This was a man who shared her values to protect the commonwealth, someone who looked up to her. When in reality, she looked up to him. She might have saved her life, but he’d never understand how he really did that to hers.

She gave his hand a squeeze before breaking the contact to look at the man before the control panel. “Ya ready boss?” He asked without once looking up from the keys of the computer. She nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get this over with.” Her words drenched with regret and foreboding, knowing now, this was it.

No more institute.

She looked around not seeing any leftover scientists or synths around.

“We got everyone?” She looked to Proctor Ingram standing a foot or two behind Sturges. She nodded, “Area is clear.”

The general stepped back into the reactor, wishing some part of her didn’t have to do this.

The last thought before she hit the button was Shaun, laying there in wait. He knew his fate was coming, and as hateful as she was, she wished he died quick.

Back at the tower, she flipped open the lid of the detonator. She pressed her whole palm into it feeling the ground beneath them rumble, quaking even the upper floors of the skyscraper. The mushroom cloud reflected back in her eyes, because she wasn’t really watching it. Something lifted off her shoulders. A collected sigh of relief was echoed through the land in that moment. Checking her pipboy, the classical radio station was gone.

She was truly free.

As was the rest of the land.

“Holy shit…” Preston mused.

Whimpering, she fell into him giving into the exhaustion weighing her down. “So that's it. The Institute is destroyed. It's finally over.” his arms wrapped around her, watching the devastation burn out in the yonder way. “You did issue the evacuation order, right? I didn't notice in all the chaos.”

Maddie nodded, tiredness drenching from her words, “Yes. We gave everyone a chance to get out.” She closed her eyes fighting off the heaviness inside her.

“Good. I thought so. It was just... watching that explosion... I just hope as many people as possible got out.” Maddie whispered.

Seemingly in agreement, he said, “I hate that we had to do that, but they left us no choice. It was war.” He drew back to take her by the shoulders. He tilted her chin up searching those brown eyes of hers, the one that led them to victory.

“But now the war against the Institute is over.” He mused with such positivity it made her stomach hurt. “The way's now clear for the Commonwealth to finally come together and build something good for the future.”

She turned her head away not wanting to hear any of it. Going on to build something so much more extravagant without Hancock at her side… If he hadn’t made it, she didn’t wanna think of it.

“But it's not all sunshine and rainbows from here on out.” He finished.

Sniffing, she knuckled her nose, “The Institute wasn't the Commonwealth's only problem. We've still got plenty to do.” She agreed quietly. Like the brotherhood. When the time was right, she’d take them out too.

Preston looked out over the horizon, “The Institute was the most insidious threat we've ever faced. They kept the Commonwealth divided for centuries. But there are plenty of other problems left to deal with. I don't think the Minutemen are going to be out of a job for a long time yet, as much as I might wish it.” He turned to her again stating simply, “We deserve to enjoy our victory. But soon enough, it's going to be time to get back to work.”

She nodded, though not hearing the words. If this was any other normal boss fight, she’d have a witty response. Right now, she wanted to sleep. She needed to go check on Hancock above all. “Do you know where they took him?” She whispered softly.

Preston blinked a few times in confusion, looking from puzzled to somber. His eyebrows pulled together in the middle when he remembered how she fell apart like a smashed puzzle. Every little piece fell out on the floor the moment John was rushed from her. He nodded. “We’ll go together, General.” He said, picking her up bridal style.

She didn’t object, because she slipped into blackness the moment he boarded the elevator.

She pretended she didn’t smell the burning flesh of her child in the air.

The Memory Den was such a familiar comfort to her, so when she came around, she relaxed seeing the familiar chipping off white paint on the walls of the medbay. The events of the previous hours hit her like a speeding eighteen wheeler. She was knocked out of her chair the moment she recounted Hancock dying in her arms. She bolted up out of her bed, wait, bed?

Her fingers crinkled the thin sheets of a stretcher. Curiously, she drew her fingers up to touch the oxygen tank beside her. Tubing hugged her face, she realized. Had she been hurt? Curling her fingers into the wiring, a warm hand yanked up to stop her. Her eyes snapped up into the familiar black obsidian eyes. Her heart stopped. She reached a hand up to cover the ruined one, her heart immediately kicking up so high the heart monitor was going bananas.

“Heya, sunshine.” John purred.

He sat at the foot of her bed in jeans and a tshirt. She could see the protruding bandage beneath it. Without a second thought she threw herself at him so hard she knocked over the monitor. Hancock chuckled softly, ignoring the pain her brute strength brought him. “What is the meaning of this?” Came a curt voice she didn’t recognize.

With her cheek still on Hancock’s shoulder she turned to see an aging Asian lady in a lab coat. She ran over to pick up the equipment the general done toppled on over. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled up in a formal military style bun, almond eyes giving her the most strongest stink eye she’d ever experienced. Blinking a few times, she pulled back enough for the doctor to make sure all her things hadn’t been unplugged.

Finding Maddie’s wonderous gaze, she answered the question in her head, “I’m Doctor Li. I’m one of the scientists from the Institute that managed to evacuate. I saw Elder Maxson, and knew it was time for us to part ways.” Maddie sat back enough for Li to examine the IV stuck in her arm. “You had a few scrapes and bruises, your men wanted to keep you just in case. They praise you highly, as does the brotherhood of steel.”

Nodding slowly, Maddie was immediately suspicious. Hancock seemed too at ease considering this woman could easily destroy her, drop a little poison in her IV…

“Am…” Maddie began slowly, “I missing something?” She finished, cocking up an eyebrow when she looked over at the ghoul watching her.

John just grinned leaning over to kiss her forehead, hugging her around the shoulders to pull her close. “Looks like the Brotherhood lost this little genius to the Institute.” He said. “The Elder has been talking her ear off since she arrived.” But why the memory den? She opened her mouth to vocalize the question, but Doctor Li beat her to it, “I was on the Prydwen getting caught up, a certain paladin went into exile. He and I have been friends for years, and he wanted me specifically to watch after you and Mister Hancock here.”

Danse. “Is he okay?” She asked immediately.

“He’s fine, he’s still got some friends in the force. You should stop by and see him when you’re released.” She checked her vitals after that, the only sound being the clinking of her instruments. The moment they were alone Maddie clung to Hancock’s neck so tight she was afraid she’d choke him to death. The relief that came through her took all of her energy, but goddamn.

Quenching her eyes to keep the tears back she curled her fingers into the back neck of his shirt to keep him as close as possible. She hadn’t realized she was sobbing until he chuckled, “What? Ya think some fancy robot with a gun could keep me down, princess?” He rubbed circles in her back when he hugged her, kissing the side of her head once, twice, and again. “Ya got the wrong ghoul, sunshine.”

“But…” Her lower lip wobbled, digging her face into his neck. “You completely just… Deflated. There was so much blood, never have I ever seen you like that. I didn’t want them to take someone else from me. I lost my husband, and my son to them… I didn’t want to lose you too. I wanted to kill him, Shaun… I let him die like the martyr he is.” That coldness crept back up sending shivers down Hancock’s spine.

“Let’s not talk about that, yeah? Preston has been worried the moment he brought you in here. Said ya just fell out on him. Have to admit, I was scared the moment they rushed ya back. I’d been in the statehouse since I got released was just waiting for ya to walk them pretty little legs back into my office.” He smiled, pulling back to kiss her lips murmuring on them, “Daisy was in a panic and let me know you arrived. Preston was afraid you were hurt. Turns out you were just a tired little stingwing.”

Maddie smiled a little murmuring, “He’s paranoid.”

“Preston?”

“Yeah.”

“But he’s a good man. I trust him with ya. I don’t trust much of anyone else.” Hancock admitted, lighting a cigarette.

She nodded in agreement laying back just because she truly was done. All the months caught up to her, the weight she’d been carrying… She could breathe. Hancock moved then to sit in a chair beside her. “You feelin’ alright?”

She nodded with a tiny smile. “I’m fine. Tired. I wanna go home.” She reached over to touch his face, turning on her side to stare at him. Memorizing.

“Let them monitor ya for a little, then we can have some drinks on me.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so hopefully my muse for this stays high enough for me to finish it which is usually my downfall. I get to the exciting plot then I crash and burn. I’m hoping this exceeds expectations bc tbh, I feel like these could be better. I hope you enjoy regardless.

“Ghouls need radiation to heal, princess.” stated John, shrugging on the infamous costume. It warmed part of Maddie to see him getting back to himself. “As much as I love this town, and you,” He added, sparing a glance over his shoulder at her with a crooked smirk, “There’s not enough rads. Plus, I’m not too keen on going back to Diamond City if I don’t gotta.”

Nibbling her lower lip Maddie slid out from beneath the desk in his office. Reaching around his middle she helped him tuck in the front and back of his shirt, tying the sash on. “I know, but…” She hugged his middle, kissing between his shoulder blades. “Feels weird not having you at my side sometimes.” She confessed. The ghoul smiled to himself, missing little moments like these between the two of them.

He hugged her close the second he turned around, looking into those pools of chocolate. He could never express the pride, the love, affection, he felt when he looked at this five foot woman with the temper of a seven foot man. She was grinning like the most happiest person on the planet. He only ever saw that when she was with him. She leaned up stealing another kiss, a low whine escaping her throat impatiently.

“Just a little longer, please?” She begged, leaning her chin on his chest.

Since they got back from the institute she hardly left his side. The threat of losing him became a temporary reality, and it struck her down to the chord. She stopped wearing her wedding ring months ago. given it's been over a year since they began this adventure, she was thinking of being stuck with him for the rest of her life. She'd never be able to live without him. She knew that from the moment they met. She wouldn't mind being his until the end of time, until she'd put him out of his misery. Lorenzo's serum was stacked up in her cabinet back in sanctuary. They'd be immortal together.

“Heh,” He chuckled, kissing the tip of her nose. “We have all the time in the world, remember? Go see Ol’ Nicky.” He instructed. “He’s been writing everyday trying to get a hold of you.” 

"Fuck Nick right now." She muttered irritably. "I want time with you."

He laughed at that then. "Fucking Nick isn't exactly on my list of things to do there, princess." He brushed her hair back behind her ear stroking his ruined fingertips along her flushing face. He cupped his palm right over the side of her neck feeling her pulse racing through the thin, marked skin. She was alive, and breathing. She was still kicking ass and taking names, sleeping next to him at night. Sure everything in the Commonwealth wasn't all sugar and spice, not even a lot of things nice. However, she made up all the majority of what's kind in the world. "Ya gotta go, love." Hancock pressed.

Though she pouted, she nodded stealing a final kiss. “Just please be careful, John. There’s still danger in the Glowing Sea.”

Fitting on his hat, he smirked. “As long as you’re not there we’ll be alright, sunshine.”

She was expecting a grand welcome when she made her way through the gates of the ballpark, but was overcome with a feeling of dread. There was a crowd surrounding the bottom of the ramp leading up to the stands.

“He’s hurt!”

“Mayor McDonough lost his mind!”

“I knew he was a synth!” Cried another settler.

Confusion etched across her face until she caught the familiar red leather tail wisping past the crowd. “Piper!” Maddie called in alarm shrugging off her pack almost immediately.

“Heya, Blue!” Her face was set taunt like it usually would be when she finds a juicy little report to portray to the people. “Can’t talk, I gotta synth to catch!”

A synth?

She recalled one of the many conversations her and John had where he said there was a rumor he was replaced with a synth.

_“When I'd first heard the rumors he'd been swapped for a Synth, thinking back on that night, I thought it made a lot of sense.But now, I don't know. I don't think I buy it.”_

It all clicked then. He campaigned against the ghouls living in Diamond City, the Institute reveled on purifying the wasteland, kind of like the Enclave. Except they didn’t want humans, they wanted humanity to spread and live so much longer. More durable. It made sense they’d take over little by little. Still, she wasn’t one to feed into this bullshit. However, finding Danny curled up with a gunshot wound told her otherwise.

“Danny, hey,” She cupped his cheek tapping on it lightly. The sandy haired security guard rolled his eyes to look up at her. He forced a pained little grin when he caught sight of Maddie there. “Well hello, beautiful. You really are the angel of death.”

Oh brother. She rolled her eyes sliding off her tank top she wore ripping it right down the middle. She didn’t miss the stares of the villagers of Diamond City seeing her in nothing more than shorts and a bra. She carefully lifted him up enough to get the tourniquet around his waist to cut off blood flow momentarily. “Tell me what happened.” She instructed, working on getting the tweezers from her backpack.

Danny wheezed in pain. “I was making my rounds near the mayor's office when I heard shouting. Thought he was in trouble at first…” He coughed a little. She stared down apologetically the moment she prodded around at the first hole. She looked up to Doctor Sun making his way over in a hurry.

“Stimpak.” She mouthed to him. The Asian man nodded kneeling down on the opposite side of him plugging him with the medicine as to ease some of the pain, and whatever infection could be present in his system after this. Looking back to Sullivan, she nodded for him to continue.

“Then when I found him, he was with a synth. One of those older ones with all the metal parts. Said something about how they can't do this to him. That's when they noticed I was there. Got plugged two times before I ran to the elevator... I remember falling... Then it's kind of hazy…” He cried out the moment she unplugged the revolver round from his lower abdomen.

“The first one was a clean cut, this one was lodged right under your belly button here... “ she explained. She quickly undid her shirt to hold it over the gushing wound. “Another.” She looked up to Doctor Sun, thankful he heard the uproar. “You’re gonna be alright after this.” She told the gatekeeper, a tiny stressed smile on her lips.

“McDonough's a synth. He's gotta be…” The mumbling of the deranged guard faded when he was rushed into the medbay.

Maddie jerked her chin up to look up at the office. McDonough’s outline was visible from the dimly lit room. Shrugging on a shirt from her bag she ran to the elevator. She didn’t feel like waiting for the jerking contraption to come to a stop. Licking along her lips in thought, she derived her next move. The moment the window was visible she scaled it like it was nothing.

She hoisted herself from broken metal pieces to wood until her fingers gripped the frame of the window. Piper’s hands wrapped around hers helping the vault dweller out.

“Where is he?” Maddie demanded, already fishing for her plasma pistol.

The reporter was grinning, a trouble making one. “I knew I was right! He’s holed himself in his office.” She explained. “The secretary has another way to get into it somehow.”

“Don’t need it.” Maddie rushed out. She knelt down with her screwdriver and bobby pin. Piper stared both a little amused and skeptical. “Should we be breaking into the mayor’s office?” She asked.

Maddie gave her the most darkest look she could muster from over her shoulder. “Did he not just shoot Sullivan and could possibly be working for the Institute? What’s left of it? And you’re really worried about me _breaking_ into this place?” She scoffed popping the lock wide open. Piper rushed in like the reckless soul she was. Maddie cursed under her breath coming up behind her, gun to gun with Hancock’s brother.

“That's far enough!” He warned. He looked past Piper to Maddie instead. She smirked darkly, another vengeance handled by her.

Behind him tied up on a couch was Geneva. There was both terror and relief seeing the hero of the wasteland in the room. “Help! He’s crazy!” She kicked her slender legs, thrashing her body to try to get free. Bringing her gun up, Maddie reloaded the plasma cartridges. The clicking caught his attention. She meant business.

Stepping forward she shoved Piper behind her. The reporter protested with a, “Hey!” Maddie tossed her arm out to stop her from interfering. “Shut the fuck up if you know what’s good for you, Piper. Or you’re next.” She did as she said.

Flickering her eyes over to Geneva, she said calmly, “Mayor McDonough, I can help you, but not when you're holding a hostage. Let her go.” The pudge man lowered his gun to his side reluctantly. He groaned in both relief and irritation. “All... all right. She can go…” Giving the go ahead, Piper sprinted behind him to undo the woman’s bondage. With a terrified scream she ran past skipping to the elevator, arms waving in the air like a lunatic.

It was just the three of them now. “So you work for the Institute.” Piper interjected the silence, a knowing smile on her face. “I knew it.”

Maddie could have slapped her.

Swallowing audibly, McDonough eyeballed Maddie with such hatred it would have killed her on the spot if that were possible. “Now I'll tell you what's going to happen next. I'm walking out of this city. Unharmed. With my dignity intact.” He explained. He jerked up his gun at her as if that would somehow scare her. Cocking up an eyebrow in disbelief she just chuckled at him. “I’ve seen scarier things than you. A rejected pile of scrap.” She shot at him. “You’re not going anywhere.”

The male growled in fury.

Maddie just grinned knowing he was so close to losing his shit. He may be Hancock’s brother, but she’d show him no mercy at the end of the day. Whether he hated her for it or not, that was the least of her worries at the moment. “Discarded, huh?” She taunted in a seductive purr. “Did the scary little bogeyman not want you back? Tossed you aside?” She smiled when he physically flinched. His beefy fingers tightened hard enough on the gun in his hand to dent the handle.

He shook his head hard enough for his hat to collide with the ground. “No!” He barked. “No. They sent some discount messenger to tell me I've outlived my usefulness.”

“That’s tragic.” Piper muttered.

“I'm either walking out of this city a free man, or I'm killing as many of you... disgusting, filthy savages as I can!” McDonough hollered. The threat resonated deep in her chest, firing up the little bit of fuel she had for bigots like him. “You think that’s an option, huh?” She gritted out coldly through her teeth. “You wouldn’t even make it out alive, McDonough. You’ll end up just like those poor ghouls you campaigned against. Except, I won’t let you suffer alone on the streets.”

She lunged for him then capturing him in a headlock with the barrel of her gun hissing in his ear, “I ended the institute. What makes you think I won’t kill you?” She tightened the hold for a moment. The mayor gagged dropping his weapon to grab at her gun trying to pry it away. Piper seized the discarded weapon holding it to face him a little shakily. “Not happening, McDonough!” Piper hissed. “You're a dead man! Dead... synth. Whatever!”

McDonough threw his elbow right between Maddie’s ribs sending the air from her small body right out in a painful gasp. She sauntered a moment or two, throwing her gun up in her arm when he tried grabbing it from her. She was yanking her lungs to try to grasp the oxygen in the room. This was easily a three hundred pound man against someone only a hundred and something, it felt like her chest was gonna concave from how hard she was breathing. “Son of a bitch.” She looked up in time to see a penny loafer headed her way. Maddie threw herself into a barrel roll in time to miss it. Wiggling to her hands and knees she headed Piper’s way demanding breathlessly, “Shoot him, damn it!”

“You people are animals! That's why we took over!” The synth cried. “This is my city! Mine!” He grabbed the lamp from his desk tossing it at her, attempting to.

“Sending in a rookie to do a pro’s job, fatal mistake, Mads.” Hancock stated. The ghoul appeared beside a wounded Sullivan and a few more security guards. The mayor jerked his chin to the man in the red coat stuttering to a stop. Maddie was able to get to her feet with Piper’s help inclining her breath until she was steadily breathing again.

“You!” He jerked a finger at his brother, “Stalling for time?” He laughed. “That’s just like you, John. Now look at you. Part of this filth of the commonwealth.”

Maddie looked back at him watching him join her side with a dark narrow of his eyes. “And all this time…” He mused with gravel in his voice. Shaking his head, he shot him right between the eyes with a, “Goodbye, mayor.” His body fell limp before him with coolant and blood alike seeping out of the wound. Shock radiated through her, looking to John like he’d lost his mind. He avoided her gaze, “And all this time… I hated this bastard for the wrong reasons.”

Piper actually felt bad for him, knowing the backstory of the mayor of Goodneighbor. Nat was her everything, and just like her, Hancock broke away from being like him. Like she hoped Nat would. Maddie cupped John’s cheek turning him to look at her. She read the pondering forlorn in his face, bringing their foreheads together. She rubbed her thumb along his cheek muttering, “I’m sorry…”

He gave a hint of a chuckle covering her hand with his own, “It’s alright, sunshine.” He kissed her fingertips bringing their hands together. It was such an intimate moment Piper felt like she was intruding. “How did you manage to get in?” She ruined the moment per usual. That was a question Maddie had herself, though.

He looked over at the reporter with a stiff laugh. “Jus’ passin’ by. Geneva ran right past me yelling about McDonough losing his mind. I knew Maddie was on her way to visit Nicky.” He glanced over at Danny, “He spotted me on his way to the gate making sure the synth didn’t escape. Saw me and explained briefly what happened. As much as I hate this city, I hate innocent people gettin’ harmed whether you wanna believe it or not.” He jabbed her way.

Breathing out a heavy sigh, Piper said apologetically, “My condolences to your loss.”

“What’s gonna happen now?” Maddie asked, looking from Danny to Piper.

Danny spoke up, “City council is gonna have to handle this one. We vote for who should be in power.” He ran his hands through his messy hair muttering, “This has got to be one of the weirdest days in history.” Maddie nodded in agreement rubbing her temples. “‘M going to Nick.” She muttered, turning to the elevator. Hancock looked from her to the corpse of his not-brother. He turned, not looking back anymore.

Maddie watched Hancock who had a little pep in his step. She found it kind of odd considering they were currently in the middle of a city that hated ghouls. He also just killed his own brother. Well, not exactly his brother. An imitation. “You… Doing okay?” She asked hesitantly. He lit up a cigarette she stole from him to take a puff off of. The familiar action made him smile. “Yeah.” He replied. “I actually am.”

“You think Nick has heard the news?”

“You kidding? The guy has ears of a hawk. Wait. He has ears… Right?”

Maddie snorted laughter when they broke through the synth’s door. Ellie was sitting on his desk while he worked over a file. She recognized the look of love when she saw it. Her ocean eyes reflected the same way hers did when she saw Hancock, except her eyes were all on Valentine. Those familiar yellow optics zoomed in on the couple. He was fully smiling pushing his work aside. “If it ain’t the dame of the commonwealth.” He greeted in that same familiar Boston drawl.

She skipped over throwing her arms around his neck when he stood. The synth tumbled a little, but chuckled and hugged her small waist. “So the Institute is gone, eh?” She nodded when she pulled away tiredly flopping down in the chair parked across from his desk. “Wasn’t easy.” Hancock muttered over the cigarette in his mouth.

“Hm.” Valentine hummed, looking between the two of them. “I’m just happy you got out alive. I wasn’t expecting a happy ending. Now the whole commonwealth can sleep better at night.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“But the brotherhood…” Nick trailed off.

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes.” She replied softly. “Preston has brought it up time and time again, I don’t think I can handle that much bloodshed so close together.”

“Speaking of bloodshed, is it true?” Ellie perked up. “Was McDonough really a synth?”

Nick’s eyes flicked to Hancock, searching his expression, body language. “That would explain a lot…” Muttered the detective. The mayor before him seemed to fluid and lingual for his liking. He tapped out the ashes in the try on his desk. “Sure does.” John replied, keeping a hand on the back of Maddie’s chair.

“I guess I should have expected it.” Maddie said while toying with a loose string on her tshirt. “I was on my way to see you and ran into that problem. I think the violence and I could use a break.” Valentine could see it written all over her. Sure, there was a new radiancy about her now, but he knew facing family wasn’t easy at all.

“And Shaun..?” He pressed.

Hancock shot him a warning look from over her head, but she just shrugged, “He’s dead.” It was more torture than anything. “He was sick anyways, but… Killing him would have been doing him a favor. I left him to burn with everything he’s done, savor his alone time.” it was morbid hearing someone as caring as her representing the most negative impact of this place. He knew no one could stay soft out here for too long.

Frowning, the synth just sighed making a few gadgets whirl around in his chest. “Can’t say he didn’t earn it.” He said after a moment. “Still, I know that had to be tough, Madeleine.” She nodded just saying, “It is.” not was. Or has been. It is. Hancock drew his hand to rub her shoulder saying, “We don’t have to worry anymore. One of our biggest threats are gone. Families are safe again, from them at least. Think you’ve rounded up enough minutemen to patrol even the mojave.”

She chuckled at that murmuring, “You’re probably right. Like Preston said though, our work isn’t done yet.”

There was still such a long road ahead, but all Maddie wanted to do was celebrate. She had no ties to her old world anymore. Shaun was dead, as was Nate. There were no longer questions she needed answered anymore. She found her place here. These things made her stronger, she had armies of men. An army of a newfound family. Nibbling the inside of her cheek she looked from Hancock, to Ellie, to Valentine. “Who’da thought a little trouble making vault dweller would save the world?” She giggled a little.

“You’ve been hell on wheels since you broke out of that place.” Valentine commented affectionately with his one eyebrow raised up to his hat. “I’m surprised the Institute let you live that long considering all the good you were doing.”

“I beat them once, and I recoiled again. I don’t know what they expected from me, but it wasn’t the ultimate betrayal. I don’t think it could have even been considered that. I had no loyalty to them to begin with, just Shaun. He was too much a stranger than my own son.” Maddie tucked her hair behind her ear looking at the familiar strands. She didn’t like who she was seeing. She was still the girl from the vault.

She knew that no matter how popular she got, how many lives she saved, she was still Maddie Preston. She ran her fingers through her hair looking up at John. He blinked feeling her stare and looked down at her, head tilted. “Something on your mind?” He asked. She just shook her head. He changed himself because he hated seeing his reflection. Sure it made him this… Ghoul. He wasn’t horrid to look at, really. He still had everything in one piece, and a cock that could milk a cow if you let it.

She needed a change, to cut off ties to her old life.

Grinning, she said swiftly, “I’ll be back!” And raced out of the building leaving behind quite a confused bunch of people.

 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of smut and a lil bit of fluff enjoy!!

It was the taste of relief watching each little lock dripping to the ground. She was a shedding off her skin like a snake, entering a bigger and better version of herself. She didn’t think the man doing her hair could understand what such an… exhilarating experience it was. There was of course, the anxiety of her vanity hoping she’d make this new look something she could work with. She was leaving her past behind, it no longer conquered her every waking moment. She was a reinvented woman. She owned the death of her husband, the painful person she was forced to grow into.

It was even better when she caught her reflection. She loved who, and what she saw.

Hancock gave up on trying to find Maddie and had to return back to being a man who ran a town. He managed to get a lot of the bigger things handled pretty well considering all the errands he had to run with his little lady friend of his. Like usual, the minimal things lined up to kick him in the ass for being irresponsible. Somethings came before squalls of drifters and drug dealers. The ghoul dragged his teeth along his bare lip purely out of stressful habit.

It was one of the many things he couldn’t part from his humane counterpart. There was silence. Not just in his office, but one settling over the commonwealth now that the institute was gone. It’s like finally reaching Christmas day after waiting for the last week. All the stomach churning, sleepless nights, you open all the presents that have been gifted. You savor every moment with new toys, clothes, whatever it was.

However, you woke up the next day and it’s just gone. Plain.

Simplicity.

Using that word in a world like that was so queer, even to Hancock. To think all it took was a rebellious little spitfire like Maddie to unite groups with clearly different beliefs but a common conclusion. To keep the commonwealth safe in their own ways. Time would tell now how long this unspoken treaty between the minutemen and brotherhood would remain a stable place of commitment.

John himself would never consider himself a hero, however… He returned to Goodneighbor and they glowered at him with a new sort of praise. He had been by Maddie’s side, almost lost his life fighting for such a noble cause. He really felt he couldn’t take even a fraction of the wrap for this whole operation. Truthfully, he hadn’t know his head from his ass when it came to sabotaging the institute. Maddie threw herself into hell, more than once, to make it possible. He was proud of himself, to finally put all his uselessness to well… A better purpose, honestly.

Besides winning over a heart like Maddie’s, and being the one she chose to spend her present with. He hoped for a future, and in his hard little heart, he knew her well enough to know she’d still be there too probably. The mayor brushed his palms together almost wincing at the rough brush his hands did, he loved noise, but even he enjoyed times alone like these. His marred hands gripped at the stacks of papers shuffling them to look through more caravan contracts when he was pulled away by a familiar sound.

The door to the statehouse creaked open extinguishing a thin beam of solid light mirroring up into a pathway against the swirl of stairs and floors on the lower level. A shadow contorted the closer the person walked in. Pen in hand, the mayor listened for the tentative jump of footsteps. They were stable and sure, light an airy all at once. They were the shuffling of a sneak, a thief. When Maddie poked her pretty little face at the top of the stairs, he grinned.

Something like alleviation detoxed his body. He sighed out the breath he’d unknowingly had been holding the moment a disturbance echoed up to his wrecked ears. A grin formed its way on his face the moment she was fully exposed to him. “Well.” He drawled, kicking his chair back with a painful screech. Her long hair had been cut into a short white asymmetrical bob. Her face, slender and chiseled as it was, looked so much more _defined._

He loved her with and without some fancy hairdo, but the way she walked when she saw him changed. Her shoulders twisted, hips swaying side to side like a sassy diva. “Don’tcha look gorgeous.” Hancock purred. He moved to lean on his desk, arms crossed in front of his chest. His dark eyes were bright under the lamp on his table. His face was smug, but smirk so goddamn bewildered it made her blush.

He was looking as if this was the first time he ever caught sight of her. She looked brand new with something like this, and he couldn’t help himself from gawking. “You saying I looked ugly before?” She teased, leaning her chin on his chest peeking up at him with heavily lashed eyes. “Such a shame, mayor.”

The ghoul breathed out an amused chuckle, shaking his head disappointedly. “Now, ya know better than that, sunshine.” He drew his arms around her, bringing his rough fingers to touch the soft ends of her hair. Before, it used to hit her breasts when she undressed, and now… It hardly reached her shoulders in the back. “You suit this well,” He admitted, obsidian eyes soft with an emotion neither could place.

This butterfly feeling was so new, sure he felt it with her before. This time was so much stronger, she was physically too fucking pure for him to even get his hands on. Breathing out a chuckle, she turned her head to catch his palm midair. Pecking each fingertip, she murmured, “Somethin’ on your mind, mayor?” She turned those knowing bedroom eyes onto him with a full force toss of a boulder at his head.

“Don’t you dare turn this into something filthy.” He muttered crossly, resting his mouth on her temples for a moment. “Because then I’m gonna have to do something about it, and I don’t think with you lookin’ as good as you goddamn do…” His voice trailed off. He growled huskily under his breath. That was a sound she’d never heard from him and it made her drip between the legs. She was making him so flustered.

She broke away from him just to kick the door shut behind her. Maddie bucked a chair under the doorknob to keep anyone from bursting in. She stripped off her shirt the moment she turned on the balls of her feet. Hancock was there face to face in that very moment. He tossed her down on his desk ripping her pants down her thin legs with a few rough pulls. She was laying exposed, muscled arms holding onto the edge of the wooden surface.

Her eyes, always sharp, seemed just so much more intense with this new look of hers. “‘M gonna have to find somethin’ else to pull now,” He commented, diving down to suck one of her nipples between his teeth. Maddie mewled in surprise, feeling the familiar taste of his poison filling her taste buds. It’d been so long since they’d been intimate in this way, and not having some heavy burden on them right now?

The reminder alone was enough to make her groan out in relief.

“I want you to take me every way you can, John.” She muttered, tossing his hat aside. “Fill me, I need you.” She cupped his face turning it up the moment he released the tender bud from between his teeth. She was so dangerously seductive in the way she said it. She smiled the moment his face blossomed into the sexy tender man she got to know. He kissed her with the fury of a thousand doves being released in the wild, feeling up her pale skin like it was fine leather on display.

Their tongues tangled with wet sloppy sounds, their breaths mingling together. Faster. Harder.

Fire and smoke.

She had a fire in her eyes he wanted to play with, and them together opened up a wildfire just to play with the smoke.

He threw her legs over his shoulders the moment he got his slacks off. He kicked his boots so hard to the side the rebounded and almost got him in the arm. “Motherfuck-” He began irritably. Maddie just laughed gripping his chin in her fingers. “Focus on what matters, they’re just shoes.” She reminded him. “Right now, I need your cock in me as deep as it can go.”

He didn’t waste time in prepping her then and there. Hancock wanted to take it as slow as he could, make it last that much longer. He slid two of his fingers between her pulsing lips feeling her accumulating wetness dressing them without hesitation. “Goddamn, look at ya…” The vault dweller bit the corner of her lower lip when his index finger brushed her swollen bundle of nerves.

Her hips stuttered when he thrusted two of his fingers into her, and she keened right then. He loved how ready and needed she always was for him. Sex with her was an experience unlike any other. Her lashes fluttered when he pumped his fingers at an even pace. John always adored the female form, but with her? It was like getting the ultimate art show all in one. Her breaths came out as soft little pants, white hair falling around her face. “Who’s a good girl?” He praised, dragging a thumb along her sharp jaw. “I am.” She responded meeting his eyes with blown out pupils. He grinned at her, having her so goddamn vulnerable like this.

He touched her plush lips with the pad of his thumb. Her tongue swirled out to meet it inviting it into the hot wet cavity of her mouth. His cock visibly twitched against her thigh from the motion. He removed his fingers with a wet little pop. Maddie whined softly, looking at him with a wanting expression. She released his thumb parting her lips for him to replace it with his soiled fingers instead.

Shock coursed through his heated system when she licked them clean, tasting herself all over them. Her eyes never left his as her tongue stroked along the digits her hips rolling for more attention. “You’re the worst sin a ghoul like me could ever get involved in.” He chided, grabbing the base of his length giving it a few more pumps. He gripped her lower back feeling the dimples for his thumbs to rest in. “Hold on!” She gasped, turning her upper torso to grab the jet from his drawer.

“You read my mind.” Hancock grinned the moment she inhaled out of it like it came natural to her. The moment he pressed into her filling up her wanting walls, she held it up for him to finish it. From her and the chems pumping through him, Hancock knew he’d be in for the night of his life. Maddie bit down on her lower lip to muffle her sounds knowing there were guards and drifters all around the place. “Not uh, princess.” He drawled, removing his hips a few inches.

He chuckled seductively, “It’s about us tonight.” He slammed right back into her causing her pristine calmness to slip right out the door. She cried out in alarm gripping the edge of the table behind her. “Fuck, John!” She giggled breathlessly. He smiled right back at her repeating the motion until that smile was wiped right off her pretty little face. He pounded her with intensity, the jet slowing the moment down at the perfect time. She was swallowing him whole, tightening walls massaging his cock in all the right places.

Her body was fluid and lingual in its rolling ecstasy. Her moans were turning to pants, breathlessly trying to get the filthy words her sloshing brain was trying to get out of her. She gripped her breasts pulling at them, coming undone like an uncurling ball of yarn. The ghoul yanked her closer when he fucked her too far back, her tiny body taking the violent movements with ease. It was like the petite woman couldn’t get enough, always squirming back up against him, fucking herself back as hard as she could.

Her teeth were gritted from the mix of pain and pleasure the ghoul was thrashing into her. She was screaming out now unable to hold in her exploding orgasm. Hancock slowed momentarily as to not overwhelm her, but he wasn’t done yet. He bent down tasting the sweat on her sweet little chest until he flicked his tongue up to her chin. She swallowed his mouth whole then, messy and sweet. Her tongue was a weapon, and she intended on using it.

She shoved him back causing him to stumble, for a moment he thought he did something wrong. “What are you do-” But he didn’t answer because her lips were locked and loaded around his weeping cock. “Fuck, wait.” He chuckled breathlessly grabbing onto the arm of the couch to steady himself for a moment not expecting her potent mouth like that to suddenly.

She peered up at him with laughter in her eyes, suckling on the tip of his rod gently. Her tongue lapped along the weeping slit spreading the precum along his shaft when she bobbed her head, turning it to hit every angle. Like he’d said time and time before, she was too goddamn perceptive for his own good. She looked so good with something in her mouth. Her lips outed over his length perfectly, though he was much wider than she could handle sometimes.

“Fuck, you minx.” Hancock groaned dragging his rough hands through her short platinum hair. He knotted his fingers in the short strands fucking into her mouth. She didn’t protest but took it like always, getting off on being used that way. John couldn’t believe how much of a freak she was, someone who gave him a run for his money like this. She dressed like a princess but fucked like the filthy animal he was.

“I want you to swallow it for daddy, yeah?” He breathed when he shoved his cock down her throat. She whined around him gagging lightly. He tugged back enough to coat her pretty little mouth with his cum. He forgot she wasn’t a spitter, and feeling her drinking up his seed kept his cock hard. She retreated swiping the drool from her lower lip with her thumb. She had the eyes of a huntress when she stood back up breathing, _“‘M not done.”_

“Lucky for you,” Hancock purred, grabbing her chin, “‘M not either. Daddy wants to play with his kitten.”

Her eyes twinkled in delight. She couldn’t feel her legs, and she was practically dripping all over the floor. She shoved him on the couch flipping her short hair when she straddled his lap. Hancock grinned exposing his teeth in the dark room. “You know I love watching you working my cock like it was made for ya.” His voice was husky as whiskey in the morning, and it never failed to turn Maddie on like a switch.

She wrapped her hand around his length pumping it slowly whispering, “Tell me you want me.” Her thumb circled his tip slowly. Hancock groaned, head tipping back on the sofa for a moment. “Ya wanna make daddy beg for ya, huh?” He chuckled.

She shrugged innocently.

He rolled his neck until his eyes met hers purring as suggestively as he could, “I want you. Always have, always will.” Her heart stuttered a little then. Even with the dim light of the room reciprocating the mood of the room, her eyes were soft. “Do you mean that?”

Hancock kissed her sweetly then, like she hadn’t been gagging on his cock just moments ago. “You’re my girl, Maddie. I don’t think I could ever go a day without you.”

“Then don’t.”

“Ya really wanna spend the rest of _your life_ with someone like _me_?”

She slid down on his length then, arms going around his neck. His balls sat against her ass, rolling her hips down with him buried all the way inside her. “I wouldn’t want anything less.” She confessed.

Usually, it’d be an odd situation to be having this kind of discussion while balls deep inside a pretty lady, but it fit them pretty well.

The ghoul harbored his rough palms against her clammy hips. Not satisfied with the contact, he hugged her close instead. Spreading his legs and lowering himself down some, he gave himself room enough to thrust up into her. “We’ve been a pair for a little over a year now.” She moaned, lciking along his neck. She bit the skin there, suckling it between her sweet little teeth.

Hancock moaned under his breath fueling her desires more. It was the hottest thing when he made those noises like that, so rough, and it was her doing that to him. No one else. Hancock knew where she was getting at, but getting the words out… He didn’t wanna ask her right here and now to be his wife, he was a romantic, after all. Just not in a sense to do it while trying to fuck her brains out.

“Ya right.” He pressed a kiss to her ear whispering into it, “And you’re not going any goddamn where. You belong here, with me. Just like this.”

Maddie whimpered in pleasure feeling all her senses overcome with nothing but him. She was hearing, seeing, touching, smelling him. Smelling the swirl of chems and alcohol in the air, the smell of sex filling the room. “Prove it.” She breathed, beginning to move her pretty little body on his cock. “Mark me, fill me. Fuck me. I want everyone to hear what a whore you turn me into.”

The words were so crass coming from someone like her, but who was he to tell her hell no?

He wasn’t.

Grabbing her around the waist he fucked up into her at a brutal pace. Their skin was clapping together rapidly, her cries muffled in his shoulder. She gripped onto him, nails dragging down his body from how quick she was bouncing on his cock. Her legs were shaking hard enough to vibrate the ghoul. “Who else would have you like this, huh?” He growled, biting along her exposed collarbones. “A filthy mess, your pretty mouth saying such ugly things.”

“No one.” She keened, yelling out when his thumb teasingly brushed her wet little clit.

“Who’s daddy’s favorite girl?”

“Me.”

“Who do you belong to?”

“You.”

He pulled out ramming right back into her with one sharp shove hitting that special angle, “Who do you belong to?” He repeated.

“You!” She cried out.

He wasn’t satisfied enough. He yanked her by the hair to look her in the eyes, wanting to see her when she came.

“Who do you belong to?” He slammed up into her a final time, dropping a hand to tickle her need with quick strokes.

Her eyes clenched together, walls tightening hard like a viper around his cock. He halted his movements of his length but kept his fingers working until her thighs were closing on him. “Hancock!” She yelled out, her hips involuntarily moving with his fingers. She was panting painfully, body jerking with each throw of orgasm. “Daddy, I belong to you, John!”

He stopped to let her revel, watching her collapse against him. Her body squirmed with each wave of hotness, warmth seeping from her abdomen, head, and now running down her legs when Hancock came. It was the most sexual harboring experience, how he knew all the right angles, the right buttons to push.

Maddie was exhausted, head resting on his chest. It had been so long since they’d had a moment where they could just… Be them and go at it like that. A lot of negative things were definitely worked out for sure.

The couple lay trying to recover. Hancock kept her held right against his chest, pulling out when she was well enough to move again. She flinched a little from the ache between her legs, but other than that, didn’t move. She was listening to his heartbeat. It was a simple reminder he was still alive. Under the gnawed flesh and pissy attitude, he was a man who could feel. Happiness, love, anger, everything.

She brought her fingers to run along his chest, seeing a remnant of a tattoo in the scarred up skin. Hancock’s eyes were closed, cheek resting on her head. His fingertips stroked along her back savoring this moment between the two of them. Having her so close, he’d never get enough. “I wasn’t kiddin’ about you not goin’ anywhere.” He said. “I don’t know what I’d be if I ain’t got you at my side.”

She flushed at embarrassment remembering just how nasty they’d been. “You really meant that?” She moved to look up at him with those quick puppy eyes. They were glassy with an emotion he couldn’t read. Stroking the back of his fingers along her cheek he continued, “Well… Yeah. See, I can’t imagine runnin’ off on ya. There’s still a part of me that’s scared all my years of skippin’ out on people will come back on me, and you’ll leave. You’re the best thing I’ve got.”

She smiled at him cupping his face, “You listen.” She demanded softly, “I’m not going anywhere. John, I wanna do this forever. Fighting at your side. Being us. Get a house here in Goodneighbor, figure out how to make this work with the minutemen, and my duties, and your own.”

Hearing those words settled the riot he had in his head. “There’s no institute anymore.” She told him. “Not everything is peachy keen but…” She shuffled to hug his neck kissing his chin, forehead, then his cheeks. “That’s a pretty big fuckin’ start.”

He agreed. “You did damn good. I don’t think I’ve verbally told you how proud I am of you, of all the feats you've done. I admire you, because you got bigger balls than I do.” He kissed her then, resting his forehead on hers. “But I don’t think either of us gotta worry about leavin’. I found my place for once, and… I used to be afraid of this. Afraid of finding my missing piece. It’s been the most sobering moment since I got clean all them years ago, he confessed with a breathy laugh.

“I love you.” Maddie whispered, hugging him to hide the fact she was tearing up. “I really do.”

Hancock knew her well enough to taste her tears in the air. “I love ya too, beautiful. Forever.”

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full warning my muse suddenly went sky high. Expect a lot of fluff and angst and aaaaall the good shit coming soon. Enjoy my readers!

Just as expected, her vacation didn’t last too long. Her and Hancock were running through the shores of one of the New England beaches. He absolutely loathed them quoting, “I was never one for long walks on the beaches.” He grimaced when the water licked the toes of his boots. “Then by all means,” Maddie giggled, stripping off her clothes to fish down to her bra and panties, “You can wait up at one of the buildings up there.”

His bare eyebrow cocked up in disbelief. “And miss _this_ view? You’re outta ya mind.”

“Come get in with me.” She begged. Though they both knew she refused to go in water any deeper than her ankles.

Experiencing those man eating dolphins first hand was enough to keep her far away from the deeper waters.

The ghoul’s eyes popped wide incredulously. He threw his hands up yelling, “Are ya outta your mind, Maddie? Ya ever smell a wet ghoul before? Not exactly for the faint of heart.” To that, she outright laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of water. We’ve showered together. Plus,” She added, waltzing backwards with just her pipboy strapped to her wrist, “You’ve swam before.”

He rolled his eyes plopping right down in the sand. “To go after you because some raider ran away from you. If it’s for your safety, that’s an entirely different story.”

Maddie’s eyes narrowed out at him suspiciously. She thought of throwing herself down in the water pretending to drown just to get him to join her. Folding her arms across her chest with her lower lip jutting out, she pretended to pout. That’s when she caught sight of a fish swimming right over her feet.

Just what she needed.

Hancock was minding his own business watching something from the corner of his eyes, suspicious of such a silent place. His attention was drawn right over to the East when a fish smacked right against his face. “The fuck-?” He snapped his eyes over to Maddie already seeing her running the opposite direction kicking up beads of water.

He chuckled softly, hating this woman, but loving her all at once. Her body glistened from the salt water drenched on her toned body, the sun reflecting on her tanning skin. She looked like the fallout version of Persephone. Shuffling himself up off the sand he raced after her. She turned to see him quickly gaining on her, screeching in mock surprise. “Go away!” She laughed.

He was cackling behind her getting louder with each declining foot. He threw his arms around her waist stopping her then and there. “Where ya think ya goin’?” He breathlessly wheezed in her ear. Maddie smirked knowingly taunting, “Stop smoking all them cigarettes and you would’ve caught me minutes ago.” She turned her head to kiss him apologetically. The ghoul rumbled smacking her plump ass sharply. “Make me.”

Maddie whirled around when her pipboy started dinging. Hancock frowned knowing it was time for real life to settle back in. “Who was it?” He asked, kicking at the damp sand clinging to the bottom of his feet. The curly haired woman frowned hating the guilty feeling rising up in her from how upset she got. “It’s Preston…” Helping people is what she was here for. That’s what the minutemen did. She was enjoying this joyous alone time with John after all these months of fight and furious decisions.

He seemed to catch on, bare eyebrow quirking up when she looked up at him with a worried crease between her eyebrows. “Hey,” He cooed, knuckling her chin with his index finger, “We got all the time in the world, Mads.” He kissed her forehead lovingly letting his mouth linger on her salty skin. She breathed out a heavy sigh hugging his neck momentarily. “Let’s get back to kicking ass and taking names.” She mumbled, already slipping into that infamous vault suit.

She hardly wore it anymore, but she didn’t pack much else, and a nearby settlement was being bombarded by raiders. She didn’t have time to chase after the clothes she discarded. John enjoyed the sight with her newfound hairstyle, her body filling it out with muscles more than it had when she first wore it. He knotted their fingers together, her lips forming that heart catching grin. “Ya ready, princess?”

She nodded. “Let’s get it goin’.”

While Maddie was out, Hancock sat back at Sanctuary helping to repair the roofs of a few houses after a pretty bad radstorm. “You sure you don’t mind helpin’ there, mayor?” Came the familiar southern drawl from Sturges. The ghoul peered over the metal bearings responding nonchalantly, “Nah, we help people who need it. Maddie would’ve been kicking herself if one of us didn’t get to it.”

“She’s a pretty busy lady I reckon.” He brought out a rag from the patchy overalls he wore swiping the dirt and sweat away with one swig.

“You’ve got no idea.” He chuckled, brandishing a new tile from the pile of junk behind him.

Maddie ran off to help stop a super mutant raid, almost making herself fall over from the weight of decisions. “We can fix the rood anytime, ma’am.” Sturges interjected in her mind induced panic. “Super mutants could wipe out a settlement like the Slog in no time.”

“Don’t remind me of that.” She noted rubbing her temples.

“Tell ya what,” Hancock interceded between the two of them. “I’ll help repair a few things, that way if it ain’t done by the time ya get back, you can help us.”

“You don’t mind?” Her eyebrows pulled together a worried frown dancing on her lips. She sucked on her lower lip anxiously.

He shook his head, kissing her promptly once he tugged her lip free with his thumb. “No. Of course not.”

Truthfully, the choice of asking for her hand in marriage was weighing heavy on his mind. Since she brought up the idea of them sharing a life together, well… The idea of them being an official thing never left his mind. She had Lorenzo’s serum, he had his rads stopping from aging them. “I’d still love ya if you turned old and baggy.” He remarked with a laugh. “Look at me.”

Maddie smacked him with a book against his arm. “I will not be old and baggy! Plus, my own vanity wants to make sure I’m okay with looking at myself. Plus, if there’s ever a day I gotta put you out of your misery,” She finished seriously. “I can easily pull the plug on myself.”

“Guess that’s fair.” He countered with a sigh. “This topic is heavy. Let’s go and hang out with Daisy for a little, yeah?”

He was wondering about how to tell her, and wondering if him right out asking would run her off, or put off the progress they made. Better yet, what to do. Should he go flashy, or keep it casual? She wasn’t one for material things. She never had been. Even if having a fancy robot butler like Codsworth completely rejected that whole philosophy. He didn’t tell her about the ring his mother passed down to him. The antique was old, he just didn’t know if it was prewar.

He could find any old regular wedding band like the one she used to wear. She kept it under a trunk at the castle now that he thought about it. He watched her slide it off and tuck it away. That was a few months before she conquered his heart completely, she shut that chapter of her life. Taking out the institute ended all of it for her. All her worries were silenced from then on, and she could start new.

He wondered what prompted the change, though he already knew the answer.

Just like he pondered over the decision to ask her to wed him, he already knew the answer to that too. It was just the anxiety of it all telling him different. Hammering away at a nail already bludgeoned into the steel frame, he got lost in his fantasies. He had no idea Maddie was kneeling next to him with the most judgemental look on her face. She cracked a beaming glow when she laughed, erupting him with a startling hop.

His eyes flashed to her face softening once he saw her in one piece. “You were supposed to help!” Chortling, she grabbed the hammer from the bag hanging on the corner of the ladder.

“I was. I thought…” He mumbled, sitting up on his knees. He scratched his eyes, puzzled. There were three tiles when he began now there was… Four. He’d been beating this one in place for the last three hours.

She kissed his cheek muttering, “Take some more chems, mayor.”

“Ya know, I just might.” He chuckled, laying another beneath it. There was a comfortable silence between the two as they continued their work into the dusk. Just the sounds of hammers, and the occasional chortle when she’d beat her fingers red.

They were building a whole new world together and that was such an exciting sight. Maddie sat under a tree in the middle of an open plain, a beer in hand, tasting the freedom in the air. She inhaled it through her nose fluttering her eyes to a comfortable close. A tasteful smile rested on her face, feeling such a brighter place. Hancock was nearby doing fuck knows what, saying he’d return.

For now, she was fine right here.

The tree was lushous despite its gray and brown surroundings. The leaves trickled like fall with grunge russet colors that dropped down around her when a breeze passed through. Her curly white hair whacked her face. She kept tucking it back behind her ear to admire the view, but with it being so short, it caused some problems. Nibbling on the inside of her cheek in thought, she recounted the past few days.

Her and Hancock felt so much stronger now having gone through hell and back together more than once. They fucked so many times she thought she’d be tired of it by now, but it was never ending. She never once despised the familiar taste of him, and the thriving after glow of the two of them smoking in his bedroom. The world seemed to make sense to her now after experiencing the darkest and lights of it. Meeting people like him, rough around the edges with a soaring temper, but a heart of pure gold.

Everyone had their vices. Who was she to judge who he is, or had been before she came in the picture? She wasn’t all there, sometimes it crept up on her like a ghoul itself. The haunting thought that there were blood of hundreds, if not thousands on her hands. Prewar her would have panicked having even one, but this new world was anything but just mostly. She was scared and alone having to fend off a deathclaw, now she had one as a guard at one of her smaller settlements.

She shook her head at how absolutely delusional this all sounded. Soon enough, she was laughing. Laughing at how shitty everything was, and to still find such a good thing. Any sane person would eyeball her like they did the Children of Atom, a lone woman cackling loud enough to scare any stranger who passed before her. She found a fucking chem addicted, drunken ghoul, and defeated the most powerful boss in the whole fucking commonwealth.

Of course she had her men, and that’s what’s wild. She was a general of an army. She had Nate to thank for that, she felt. He’d be proud.

The thought of him didn’t make her too sad anymore. In fact, well… It made her feel warm. She would always love him, that was never a question. Her heart lied with Hancock now. She had no doubt in her heart that this rebel was who she was truly meant to be here with. Everything happens for a reason. She stumbled upon that broken looking city meeting a whole new family. She heard so many terrible things, but she felt like home the moment she blew Finn to a literal puddle and got praise for it.

She felt guilty for putting Fahrenheit down, hearing of how much history was really between the two of them. Did Hancock really need a guardian? No. Did he want one? Nah. He and Fahrenheit were closer than close without getting naked and sleeping together. They played chess all the time, she personally sucked at it. He never lost a game but once, no matter how many drugs he’d been tripping on at the moment.

Bobbi, as cunning as she knowingly was, was still a good friend of his.

She knew John still carried all that force of the weight on his shoulders sometimes. They’d pass by her house in south Boston and he’d tense up. She never asked, because he always shrugged it off. Like he did most things.

He really had changed for the better, and his heart was in the crime fighting now. He saw the world again, tasted defeat, Prided in the winnings. He came back to Goodneighbor bigger and better each time. She helped him with trade routes, now it was turning to a flourishing city. She even caught a few Diamond City residents taking up refuge there a few times. They’d look at her with fear she’d tell their secrets, but her smile welcomed them. After all, it was a place free of judgement.

Footsteps crunched through the dead grass drawing her attention over. John was making his way over with a brand new unopened wine bottle tucked under his arm. In the other hand were wine glasses. “Hope I didn’t keep ya waiting.” He folded his legs next to her when he sat, setting the cups between them.

“Nah.” She responded, taking in the familiar sight of his sharp facial features under the gnawed off flesh. “Did you just go hoping to find that, or?”

He shook his head. “It’s a secret.” He replied smoothly. “Figured you’d wanna feel a little more classy after a day of roughin’ up the bad folks.” Maddie just shook her head at him exhaling a soft sigh. “Hope you didn’t have to go too far for that.” She commented.

“For you?” He held her glass up to her. “Nothing is too grand or too far.”

She sipped it, in no rush to chug it down. Aging wine really did have a more richer flavor. She rested her head on his shoulder enjoying the violet skies of the setting sun. Dawn and dusk were her favorite times because of all the pastel colors giving this dull world something out of a canvas. Hancock’s arm drew around her shuffling her right up against his warm side.

She peeked up at him then finding the most majestic picture moment. He looked flamboyant under the skies, the purple hues above giving his skin a familiar flushed appearance. His eyes glittered like little black rubies under the rubble of coal and water. “You’re beautiful.” She whispered.

His bare eyebrows shot up. “M-me?” He gasped. He cleared his throat of the panicking fluster. “Is… There something in this wine I should know about?” He lifted the bottle for inspection. Maddie sucked her teeth earning him a smack on the back of the head. His hat fell forward some. He tilted it back with a flick earning her a stern glare.

“Seriously,” She repeated with purpose. “You look fuckin’... _Picture perfect._ Especially under these kinds of skies… You almost glow, it really suits you in general. A dark presence, but such a welcoming one. A haunting appearance, but inviting.”

The ghoul remained quiet watching the sky, thumb rubbing her hip slowly. “Thank you.” He stated.

She hummed with a nod, finishing off her first glass. “We campin’ out here tonight?”

“Just like old times.”

She shuffled to hop onto the trunk of the tree. “If that’s the case,” She threw a thin leg around a branch hoisting herself up with a valiant throw of her thighs hoisting herself up to grab a fragile piece of wood threatening to fall overhead. “We need firewood.” Hancock sighed softly, standing to catch her in case she jumped.

Face it, he knew she was going to. She got off on trying to do dangerous shit.

He tilted his chin up watching her with an exasperated little frown on his face. “Don’t go doing what you always do,” He warned. “You’re gonna break somethin’. I ain’t fixin’ ya.”

Maddie threw her hand to a thick branch already looming six feet overhead. “You’re full of shit!” She called down. _“Incoming!_ ” She dropped the branches down tumbling them to the ground with clunks and clattering. Hancock hardly dodged them, one of them catching and tearing his sleeve. He glowered turning up his face to scold her, finding her standing up on the tallest branch gracefully.

“Don’t you do it.”

Maddie just giggled mischievously.

“Madeleine.” He scorned. “Get down.”

Maddie smirked. “If you say so.” She plunged herself off the tree like a diving board. “Parkour!” She yodeled, landing just feet from him. John flinched back wondering if after all, she really was a synth. “Are you okay?” He mused, checking her over from where he stood. “Anything broken?”

She grinned cheekily, hands on her hips, “Nope!” She danced over to stack up the firewood, grabbing the bottle of wine to start drinking it from there.

Hancock rubbed his temples exasperatedly. And this is who he wanted to marry.

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LET YOU GUYS KNOW I CRIED WRITING THIS OKAY. Also lots of angst let's get it goin'. I also realize this falls out of the timeline with the game, but it fits with the plot so. Hope this doesn’t bother you too much.

Like always, the good times never seemed to last for Maddie. She got a recruit from the commonwealth to escort her to the Prydwen on an ‘emergency meeting’ with the elder. “What is this about?” She demanded the moment she threw the heavy metal door open like she was flapping open a thin curtain. His stern face eyed her, as well as the ghoul surveying him with such hatred it made Arthur's stomach turn. “It has come to my attention that the Institute held some secrets, and you bypassed one of the Brotherhood’s biggest laws.” He spat, marching over with purpose.

Hancock was immediately throwing himself between the vault dweller and the Brotherhood leader. His eyes narrowed, teeth bared in a furious sneer. “Don’t you think of layin’ a hand on her, bigot.” He seethed, hand already at the knife in his waistband. “Unless ya wanna see a ghoul go feral right before your very fuckin’ eyes.”

“What the fuck is going _on_?” The curly haired female burst between the two men, shoving John back forcefully by the chest. “What are you accusing me of, Arthur?”

Dark eyes shrewd to rice grains he eyeballed her now not even giving the ghoul a moment of his time. “A portion of Proctor's findings included a list of synths that went missing or escaped from their underground facility.” He stalked towards the files printed out in a manila folder. He threw it down at her feet, chest heaving, nostrils flaring as he inspected her. She knelt down to pick it up glancing through it as he continued, “After careful analysis of the information, we've discovered something... unprecedented.”

Her eyes rose slowly. She recalled getting a copy of this report, she just hadn’t read it. She'd had better tasks at hands than petty brotherhood shit. Or she thought.

Shock barreled through Hancock’s chest watching Maddie’s eyes widen slowly. She hadn’t known at all.

“This can’t be.” She breathed woefully, swallowing the lump forming in her throat for the Paladin. Her first real friend in the Commonwealth.

Elder Maxson slammed his hands down on the sofa, “Paladin Danse is a perfect match for one of the synths on that list.”

She quickly argued, “The data must be faulty.”

Like the sick bastard he was, Maxson smirked so dry it could’ve cracked the skin on Hancock’s elbows. “The findings have been validated by multiple sources.” He explained matter of factly.

Maddie stood on shaking knees, looking up at him with large saucer eyes. Her chest was crippled by the suspicion this wasn’t gonna end well at all. She hoped, with all the effort Paladin Danse threw into this, his own kin wouldn’t turn on him. The elder’s mouth was drawn to a fine line with flames of hell in his eyes assessing her like she was the reason all of this was going down. “Quinlan wouldn't have brought this to me if he wasn't one hundred percent certain of the results.”

She shook her head immediately, tears threatening to show, “There has to be some kind of mistake! He-”

“In my experience, Proctor Quinlan doesn't make mistakes.” Arthur said with finality. Hancock audibly snorted at that. “Everyone makes mistakes.” He muttered under his breath doubtfully. The elder acted as if he didn’t hear it.

“Paladin Danse’s,” He spat with a snarl so hateful it actually made her flinch back. “DNA is a perfect match for a synth they called M7-97. To make matters worse, he's gone AWOL. Disappeared without a trace.”

Doctor Li was aware, she realized. She mentioned something of him hiding, and asked Maddie to go see him.

Hancock’s hands were on her arms then, rubbing them to comfort her. It was a little help, but even she could read his rough grip. His pulse was going ninety to nothing. It wasn't the chems either. He flicked his dark eyes down to her feeling her whole body tremor with fear for her beloved friend. He frowned deeply, questioning exactly what had gone on between the two of them. They had ran together for a while, that he recalled. Was she really able to befriend a Brotherhood zombie like him? To be this passionate?

“His sudden absence simply reinforces our conclusion that M7-97 and Paladin Danse are one in the same…” He began circling the couple with scrutiny, reading her body language. She shrunk back into John, ready for war with them then and there if it presented itself. “I'm finding it difficult to believe that he never confided in you and then swore you to secrecy.”

“That’s one hell of an accusation!” She bellowed, throwing herself at him like a frantic animal trapped in a cage. Hancock’s hands were on her shoulders immediately yanking her back with all his might. The elder never once flinched. If he was smart, Hancock thought, he’d run from her quick. She took out the institute with ease, she could go after him next. “You have to believe me, he never told me he was a synth!” Her cheeks were flushed, hands itching to be around his smug fat throat.

Arthur snorted, “I suspect you're saying exactly what I wanted to hear, Knight.” Hancock glared, “Now you listen, she ain’t no liar. Even if she was, her loyalty is much more confining than this shit hole army you have here.” He growled lowly.

“This is neither the time nor the place to discuss it.” He addressed the ghoul for the first time. Inhaling deeply, the elder faced Maddie with something like defiance. His shoulders were square, bulking up. He was gonna give an order, and she was afraid she knew exactly what it had to be. “However, even if that were true, Danse still represents a clear and present danger to us all…”

His words were a dangerous build up, and her heart was racing and stopping all at once. She slowly began to shake her head, Hancock starting to catch on to where this was leading.

“Our mission in the Commonwealth is clear. The Institute and its creations need to be destroyed in order to preserve our future.” He turned his back to Maddie then, staring out over the Commonwealth with a sad, but sure sigh. “Which leaves me facing the most difficult order I've ever given.”

“Please don’t do this.” She begged in a broken whimper, one that made John’s heart snap in half. Her eyes were wide, lower lip wobbling. Her knees were jelly the room shaking. Maybe it was her, feeling the responsibility weighing down on her. “Don’t finish your sentence, don’t do this to me.”

“I'm ordering you to hunt down Danse and execute him.”

His words floated in her head echoing like it was bouncing off the walls left and right. She could’ve wailed, threw herself down like she truly wanted to. She had enough bloodshed, and Danse never deserved this kind of betrayal. Hancock sucked in a sharp breath audibly. Maddie shook her head defiantly. "I can't." She hissed out in a harsh whisper. He didn’t like the guy himself, but he had to give respect where respect was due. For him to have this kind of affect on someone like his sunshine, he had to be someone of upmost importance. He must have had some kind of golden heart or whatever it is synths have.

“Listen, I'm not blind to the fact that Danse was your mentor and this isn't an easy burden to bear.” He turned back then, measuring her heart shattered expression. It was almost sick at the satisfaction lighting up his face.

Maddie’s eyes lowered to the ground slowly, fingers clenching onto the tattered folder with crinkled wrinkles beneath the force of it. “I won't do it…” She whispered angrily through her teeth. Hancock agreed with a proud harumph. “You want Danse dead, do it your damn self.“

“Danse deserves a chance to explain himself!” She threw the papers at the elder stalking forward, nearly forehead to forehead from how close they were. The elder growled yanking her up by her jumpsuit hissing for only her to hear, “You will do it. This is not up for judgment or debate!”

Hancock yanked her back from his grip, arm going around the petite woman, shotgun in the hand resting by her hip. There was silence for a moment. The only sounds were the hissing of the Elder and the ghoul’s rapid breathing. She could hear her pulse running through her ears almost making her deaf to the outside world.

“I don’t know what to say…” Her voice trailed off, sounding foreign to even herself. Worriedly, Hancock glanced over reading her blanking expression. The light in her eyes were fading with a quickness flashing them back to when she stepped off that transporter for the first time. “I got a couple four-letter words you can feel free to use.” He chuckled with a sinister smile.

“This isn't a request that requires an answer, Knight.” Arthur reminded her stiffly. “This is a direct order.”

She whimpered finally, the tears brimming in her eyes spilling over, feeling weak in front of the monster commanding her. “Isn't there some other way?” She begged tightly, swallowing against the force closing up her airways. She muffled a sob into Hancock’s sleeve. The ghoul softened, holstering his weapon now just to hold her closer against his chest from behind. The elder sneered at the signs of affections turning from them yet again. “What? You can't let one otherwise completely normal guy off the hook?” He asked, his tone more even for Maddie’s sake.

Neither expected an answer, but he gave it after a moment’s hesitation, “Absolutely not. My decision is final.”

 _My decision is final_.

Maddie’s world was crumbling again, regardless of what she felt for the brotherhood and how bullshit backwards their beliefs were, Danse was such a good man… He cared for people, saving children, bringing justice to those who deserve it. Maddie shoved off her lover’s arms stalking out of the room, almost collapsing against the metal wall in defeat once out of the elder’s view.

The ghoul was quiet, not really knowing how to help her. He felt guilty for giving the man so much shit, but felt anger for him. This guy dedicates his whole goddamn life to the brotherhood and for what? For them to turn on him like he never sacrificed a goddamn thing? He sat next to her, slowly bringing an arm around her shoulder to hide her face when she began to sob openly. There were no faces of pity when they passed, no words of condolences.

These people turned on him just like enemies.

She tucked her knees up momentarily, but the familiar smell of nasty gym socks and body odor was getting to her. Bringing up a trembling hand she wiped under her eyes. John sighed heavily, rubbing her back when she stood again. He was at her side as always. “I don’t wanna do this…” She whispered heavily, slumping into his side. She suddenly had no energy to move, nor did she want to make herself. “I can’t. I can’t imagine what he must be thinking right now.”

When she looked at him, she searched his face for answers. There were sadly none he could return to her. “He dedicated _everything_ …” She shook her head, preparing to walk out to the vertibird landing when a scribe stopped before her. “Haylen,” Maddie sighed in relief, throwing her arms around the woman as tightly as possible. Hancock recalled her from the few brief meetings, but otherwise, just nodded when she spotted him over her shoulder.

The brotherhood scribe hugged her once the shock subsided. There was a comfort when she felt the intensity of Maddie’s grip. “Before you head out,” Haylen began, grabbing her shoulders to stare into her turmoiled eyes, “I need you to listen to what I have to say.”

“Aren't you supposed to tell me where Danse went?” Maddie mumbled, a silent beg to make this easy. She’d hide Danse away, fuck, save him from this fate. “Yes. And I promise I will.” she swore, glancing around for listeners. She yanked Maddie back behind a corner, eyeballing for any eavesdroppers. “But before I do, I need you to listen to what I have to say.” Maddie just nodded.

Sighing in what could only be relief, the mousy haired woman deflated to become more comfortable. “Good. I've known Paladin Danse ever since I was an Initiate.He trained me, showed me the ropes... and when I screwed up, he taught me to dust myself off and move on.”

The vault dweller nodded in agreement. He’d been there the first few times she stumbled and hurt herself. He scolded her when she was too hard on herself, claiming she’d learn. Without mistakes, he’d said, no one would learn a damn thing. When she fucked up by hitting the wrong target and began overthinking, he was there to reassure her that she’d confidently make the right move one day.

“He's earned my admiration, my respect and my friendship.I don't care what Quinlan's report says. I don't care if he's a machine or not... he's still Danse.”

Somberly, Maddie swallowed, “That’s a bold statement.”

“It's more than just a statement. It's a plea.” Haylen voiced confidently, “Danse is the most selfless person I've ever met. I've watched him risk his own life based on nothing more than principle alone. That's why I'm asking you... not just as a member of the Brotherhood, but as a human being... give him a chance. Let him tell his side of the story.”

Maddie was gnawing her lower lip rolling it between her teeth. The entire anxiety of this situation was gonna overcome her, drown her in dread. If it saved this man’s life, she’d fight every single order given to her. She’d trade blood if it came down to having to kill Danse. She’d kill the elder, take on the brotherhood head on.

“If you're not convinced by what he says, or somehow he's become truly lost to us, then you do what you have to do.”

John could’ve yelled, throwing a football down and done a touchdown dance. “Fuckin’ finally!” He groaned, flopping against the wall lazily. Both ladies peered over at him. “Finally, someone talking some sense on this ship.”

Maddie hardly spoke a word on their way to Listening Post Bravo. Hancock couldn’t blame her. Her heart was in the right place, he knew she’d never ever go against a friend. They’d have one hell of a fight to succumb to if they didn’t work this out quick. Her whole demeanor made it clear executing Danse was out of the question

She took out her frustration on a protectron guarding the building, tackling it once it cackled and fizzed to a pile of scrap metal. She threw punch after punch until her knuckles were breaking through her taunt skin. Hancock yanked her back by the shoulders earning an indirect punch to the face. “I’m sorry!” She gasped, immediately cupping his face and kissing it repeatedly.

He had to hand it to her, she had a damn good right hook.

“It’s okay.” He soothed, rubbing her sore knuckles spreading blood along them. He used the tail of his coat to dab at them a little. “Let’s get to Danse.”

“I can’t kill him.” She whispered. “John, I-I… He was my first friend. He’s such a good man at heart, j-just guided by the wrong things…” She attempted to explain, hoping none of this would rub him the wrong way. “The brotherhood lost their way, Maxson being the last of the true elders that started this. Danse gave and gave and gave with nothing but pure love in his heart. You know first hand how that is.”

As much as he hated to agree, she wasn’t wrong at all.

“We’ll figure a way out.” Hancock promised, rubbing her shoulders. He kissed her forehead murmuring, “There’s always another way.”

It was always such an alien concept that Danse existed under the bulky uniform of his power armor. He sat under a few tunneled openings, listening to Diamond City Radio something to fill up the silence. When he spotted her, he shot up like a rocket. Unable to help herself she dropped the professional military personnel throwing herself at the chiseled man.

He froze, so tense with learning of his new form, his life not being his. He didn’t even know if Maddie was really a memory that belonged to him. He hugged her back regardless. Her tears ran through the bright highlighter BOS uniform. Danse frowned in disappointment, hating her showing a sign of weakness in times like this. “I can't do it, Danse. It's not right.” She sobbed, breaking the contact to look up at him.

“I can't believe you'd risk your life just to keep me alive.” He said, surprise lacing his tone. His thick eyebrows pulled together, running his fingers through his hair. He paced anxiously watching one foot cross in front of the other. One. Two. One. Two. Wall. Turn.

Maddie stopped him by putting a puny hand on his broad biceps. He looked from her, to Hancock, then back. The ghoul leaned up against the wall, knowing he had no place of input then. This was between the two of them. “I've already lost my family.” She explained, anger lacing her tone. “I don't want to lose my friend.”

Disapproval colored his distraught expression, a frown pulling like a weight at the corner of his lips. “Maxson's obviously testing you, and I refuse to be the one who causes you to fail.”

“Is there any way out of this?” She demanded. “Any-fucking-way at all?”

“We both know that this is the right thing to do.”

“It’s bullshit!” She shrieked, picking up a chair and tossing it at a wall across the room. “How could you possibly defend them in a time like this? They’ve all turned their backs on you, Danse!”

“If you refuse to follow Maxson's orders, you're undermining everything the Brotherhood stands for.” He snapped at her. “I can't allow that to happen on my account.”

Maddie wanted to smack him. Then and there, she had. She stood up to her commanding officer with a sharp blow to the face.

John ran, confining her hands to her sides. “Madeleine.” He warned. “This isn’t his fault.”

The paladin rubbed his face where the reddening mark was forming, shaking his head in low disapproval, “Synths can't be trusted. Machines were never meant to make their own decisions, they need to be controlled. Technology that's run amok is what brought the entire world to its knees and humanity to the brink of extinction. I need to be the example, not the exception.”

“The empathy that you're showing me... it's a human emotion.” Maddie grabbed him by the face, shaking him. “Don’t be so fucking dense!”

Sighing out heavily, he put a hand on his small friend’s shoulder, “Look, I'm not blind to the fact that we're good friends and this must be very difficult for you.”

She wanted to vomit. “I wish Maxson had sent someone else.” She whimpered pitifully.

“Torture at best.” Hancock snorted, lighting up a cigarette.

“Don't let your feelings about me cloud your judgment.” Danse warned, sensing her hesitation. “I can't decide for you, but I can offer you this bit of advice.” She looked up at him with those eyes he found comfort in. Maddie was a hot headed fighter, a woman with a mouth as foul as her fight. Even when he disapproved, he always felt proud. He felt pride in the woman he helped her to become. “Whether I agree with Maxson or not, the Brotherhood has to remain firm and united.”

The wind felt like it’d been kicked out of her. “You're willing to die for Maxson?”

“If I begin questioning orders, who's to say others won't do the same?” He asked. “I refuse to be responsible for that. Even if it means I need to die. This decision is bigger than both of us. It's about the future of the Brotherhood. We must stay on mission... no matter the cost. Now... do it.” He demanded sternly.

He was so fucking willing to die, hating what he was. Mind controlled into believing him existing is what the whole world was gonna concave on itself for. “It’s not right.” She repeated, more confidently. “I won’t fuckin’ do it. We’re going back to the Prydwen, we’re gonna prove your innocence.” Nearby, Hancock grinned. That was his girl.

Danse hesitated with a mix of hope, and the bitter reality that it wouldn’t change a damn thing for his fate. “You sure that’d work, Maddie?” It was the first time in a while he said her name instead of a technical military code names. “There’s only one way to find out, Danse…” She sighed, “And we’re gonna. You're the proof that Maxson's wrong. You're a synth, but everything you've done has been for the good of mankind.”

He recalled saving that boy Billy from the fridge, clearing out gunners to reunite him with his parents. Listening to the gleeful squeal of a child when he rescued a settler from a group of raiders. Seeing Maddie smile when they approached the Institute together. He felt so goddamn proud when he managed to score himself the most badass recon team. Then came along, Maddie. A tiny vault dweller barely hanging on a thread when she helped them clear out the ferals from the Cambridge Police Station. He didn't care about many things before she came along.

He traveled with her to scope out the life of the Commonwealth on the command from Arthur Maxson. Soon enough when his mission was finished he convinced him to let her on as a knight. To keep watch over her. Danse said it was to monitor her, but he couldn't get enough of the thrill of helping out settlement after settlement. Taking out those who deserved it. She had the wits and mind of a leader. Part of him hoped she'd overthrow him, because she was one of the most kindest souls he ever met. She also had a marksman ability and a battle tactic that could easily overwhelm any army. Including the brotherhood. 

“How could I have been so blind?” He mused to himself, looking over at her.

The grin growing on her face was brighter than the sun outside, and the most beautiful goddamn thing Hancock had ever seen. Danse managed a welcoming smirk in return, ruffling her hair affectionately.

“I'm not technology that's gone out of control. I've been a benefit to mankind, not its downfall.” Danse realized, his confidence building watching his shoulders get lighter. “Perhaps now that you've opened my eyes, I can consider my next move.”

The ghoul nearby pushed himself off of the wall crossing the way. "We got your back." He promised. Paladin stared into the eyes of the mayor seeing nothing but support. Maddie had a strange taste in men settling with a monster like Hancock, but who was he to judge now? What made him so different. John held out a ruined hand. Danse eyeballed it skeptically before shaking it in an iron grip. "I appreciate it, mayor."

They took the elevator back to the ground. The trio had their minds set on a new promise. To free a synth - Danse. To set the record straight with the people he’d come to love, respect, and admire. Never in his life had he felt so grateful for the small woman here next to him. She fought for him, for the freedom of the commonwealth. She put her life on the line for… Things. People, like him. He was coming to understand why she fought against the restraints of the brotherhood. Synths were just like him, human.

Capable of emotions of anger, and love. Admiration. He longed to look at her the way she stared at John, the leader of Goodneighbor. Even now in the elevator they stood hand in hand, just like that, they brought down the Institute. They brought up the minutemen. Who was he to doubt what was humane and what wasn’t?

She stepped out first, shielding her eyes with her arm from the sudden brightness of the sun. She was quick to whip out the knife form Hancock’s sheath catching sight of a vertibird, and Elder Maxson making his way over. The ghoul cursed, “This motherfucker just don’t quit.” He shuffled ahead of Danse, Maddie sparing him a comfortable smile.

That moment was brief, Elder Maxson was branding a sword stalking right over. Maddie could feel the gravel shaking under the weight of his boots, watching pebbles bounce. “How dare you betray the Brotherhood!” Hatred laced his tone, his eyes portraying no different.

Danse was quick to jump the gun, moving before the couple trying to guard him. “It's not her fault. It's mine.”

“He's still alive because you're wrong about him.” Her words held a surreal conception, her body as steady as her words. "I'll deal with you in a moment!" Arthur gritted from between his teeth, pointing a trembling, righteous finger at him.

"Flesh is flesh! Machine is machine! The two were never meant to intertwine!" He looked from Danse to her suspiciously. "By attempting to play God, the Institute has taken the sanctity of human life and corrupted it beyond measure.” He stood tall, glaring down his commanding officer with nothing but contempt in his cold black little heart. “After all I've done for the Brotherhood... all the blood I've spilled in our name, how can you can say that about me?” Danse wondered, daring an explanation.

He avoided it, not wanting any of that same sorrow, feel bad for me bullshit from a robot. He looked at Maddie as he spoke, “You're the physical embodiment of what we hate most. Technology that's gone too far.” The anger reaching through Maddie at this moment was so intense she couldn’t help herself from trying to lung right for this fucking grand wizard looking motherfucker.

“Don’t you dare!” Hancock growled through his teeth at her hooking her arms in both of his behind her back. “You lunge at him there is not fuckin’ tellin’ what good this will do. We wait for the sign, then we attack. Don’t trust your instinct right now.”

“Those ethics that it's striving to champion aren't even its own. They were artificially inserted in an attempt to have it blend in to society.”

“It's true. I was built within the confines of a laboratory, and some of my memories aren't my own.” Danse began, never failing to look Arthur dead in the eyes as he spoke so true and proudly, “But when I saw my brothers dying at my feet, I felt sorrow. When I defeated an enemy of the Brotherhood, I felt pride.And when I heard your speech about saving the Commonwealth... I felt hope.”

For a moment, she caught a glimmer of something like realization in Arthur’s eyes. For a split second, there was hope.

She turned to watch Danse, measuring his so calm composure wondering how the fuck, after everything, he could talk so highly on the brotherhood. “Don't you understand? I thought I was human, Arthur.” His tone was so tender and compassionate her heart gave a violent squeeze, feeling the prickle of tears coming to the corners of her eyes. “From the moment I was taken in by the Brotherhood, I've done absolutely nothing to betray your trust and I never will.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat looking to Arthur again. “He’s not wanting to harbor any threat to you, to us. To the commonwealth. I come as a soldier, a mother… A human. Let him go.”

Arthur’s eyes lingered on her begging face just for a second and within a blink of an eye the scene changed.

“It's too late for that now.” The elder growled. “Either you kill him, or I do it myself.”

Shock radiated through her whipping her head to watch Danse.

“I can’t!” She screeched. “He doesn’t deserve it, have you not heard anything he said?” She gasped out through her tightening chest. Hancock released her then, shotgun in hand once more. “He’s innocent!”

Danse walked forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. She stared up into his dark eyes already knowing, hearing, seeing the dark truth. He wasn’t walking out of her alive. “It’s okay, soldier.” He placed a kiss on her forehead whispering, “It’s over. Just know, I go to my grave with no regrets. No anger.” 

In that moment he stepped forward, brandishing his neck for the taking.

”Maxson - Elder, please!” She shrieked, motioning her arms over her head as some form of distraction. Maddie ran forward to stop the oncoming attack. The sword gleamed, a dirty smug smirk in the face of incompetence. “Danse, don’t do this!”

Like it was nothing more than a bug squishing a fly, Maxson struck.

She heard the deep gurgle, the  _fwip_ the blade made right across his Adam’s apple.

Her legs collapsed under her at that moment. “ _Danse no_!” Her cry echoed around the commonwealth shuffling the nearby wildlife. The paladin crumbed to his knees, head rolling right by her feet. Hancock had seen some brutal shit in his day, but this was just so fucking cold. He beheaded his own field officer like he was some raider who just raped and killed his whole family.

For being a synthetic human despite every challenge he conquered with them.

Unable to hold in her stomach from staring into Danse’s dark lifeless eyes, she vomited. “The fuck!?” She gasped, unable to conceal the sob breaking through her acidic belches. 

Hancock was quick, watching the eder turn on Maddie now. She was a trembling mess going through a spiral of emotions. The whole world was turning round and round and round and round. She stared down at the blood pooling around the elder, watching him so proudly boast when he kicked his lifeless body to the side. “Ad-fucking-victoriam!” She bounced onto the balls of her feet bounding right over.

Gripping her legs around his middle she wrapped her palms around the blade prying it from his bigger, rougher, capable ones. “After everything!” She cried, anger mixed with disgust. “You betrayed him! You were the monster!” Gunting, the elder tossed her down forcibly on the flesh soaked sand. Maroon dust covered her, drips of blood coloring her face.

Hancock pushed himself into a sprint while Arthur was tumbling to the side from wrestling a rowdy Maddie off of him. He kicked his hand releasing the blade, pistol whipping him with the butt of his gun. Maddie rose up on a shaking palm shoving her blood soaked hair from her face. The elder toppled to the side, and it was enough for the petite lady to grab his own weapon from the ground feet away from him.

“This is for Danse!” She chuckled, something so evil and sinister. “Minutemen willing, the brotherhood is an enemy. You won’t harm another innocent soul.” The blade squished through Maxson’s brain matter in seconds. Twisting the blade until his body gave a violent twitch and the blood seeped from the corner of his eyes. Panting rapidly, she sat on her knees taking in the uncomfortable silence. “I didn’t want it to have to come to this.” She whispered, looking over to the body of Danse.

Hancock put a comforting hand on her shoulder kneeling down in front of her. He tilted her chin up, searching her face just to make sure no bloodlust was gonna topple over her soon. “We couldn’t just sit there.” He murmured, bringing a handkerchief from his coat pocket to wipe at the specks of blood on her face. “The brotherhood had it comin’, Elder Maxson…”

“Danse didn’t deserve this.” She whimpered quietly.

Hancock shook his head in agreement. “There’s nothing we can do now, Maddie…” She sniffled, Letting Hancock guide her up. She cast one last look down on Elder Maxson, toeing him over. “Rot in hell you fucking cunt.” She jolted, ripping his jacket off of him with a snort. She dawned it on, chin up high.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are gonna hate me I'm so sorry. I'm also wondering if you guys would like a spinoff of Danse and Maddie's adventures? I'm kind of digging the little love triangle I intended to have in this story, so would you guys possibly like something like that?

From the moment Elder Maxson went down, whoever heard the name of Maddie Preston knew there was intense danger on the way. She and Hancock arrived at the Castle in the following night like Bonnie and Clyde. Diamond City radio played over the grounds with Danny expressing the news of Arthur’s demise. The moment she cleared her throat, the group huddled around the radio snapped their heads up. His jacket blew in the fall breeze scraping the dusty ground. It was a few good sizes too big for her with the sleeves running past her hands, but the threat stood. “She really did it.” Ronnie muttered in amazement with eyes as bejeweled as rare diamonds.

“You’re goddamn right I did.” Her voice was sharp as knives and as chilled as the October landing they sat outside in. “From this moment on,” She declared raising her voice for the men at the posts to hear, “The brotherhood is an enemy. You see them strike first. Or they’ll attack you. I don’t want anymore of my men dying because of them.” Her eyes traveled to each person in front of her. Her stare landed on the airship to the south, hissing, “We’ll deal with them soon enough. No mercy, they turned on Danse.”

Maddie met Preston’s eyes when he walked out from his chambers hearing her calling. “Danse was indeed was a synth, so the propaganda is true. However,” She spoke above the nervous chatter of the minutemen once the murmuring began, “He did good for humanity. He had no idea of the creation which he was. Where he was from. He never once attempted to harm any of his brothers and sisters he followed, protected. Even after _all_ his sacrifices…”

He jingled up his holotags gritting her teeth together angrily with fury boiling through her hotter than any pot of boiling water. “They killed him. Even _after_ he expressed the human emotions in which he felt, experienced, and _believed_ in. He _cried_ when soldiers fell at his feet, he felt _hope_ when the Institute went down.” She squared her jaw together with tears furiously clouding her vision. “We will not support, respect,” She spat intimately, “Or put up with people who claim they want to protect the commonwealth but put down their people, even their own. The ones who bled for them! _Sacrificed!_ ”

Hancock sat back watching his lady love expressing orders, knowing how easy her words flow. How passionately her hatred for injustice rang in her just as deeply as it sprung out in him. Continuing on, she added in a softer tone. “It doesn’t matter what you are. What you’re made from. Humanity is anything that _feels_. Has the freedom of _choice_ and  _thought._ Who cares if they’re made of flesh and bone, of metal, or look different.” She slid the holotags on, tugging up the sleeves of her new jacket. “For now on, we’re all the Commonwealth needs. The brotherhood won’t be here much longer. When the time comes, we attack.”

Maddie hung up Danse’s holotags on the mirror of the vertibird, fingers longingly brushing against the tinkling tags. She swallowed the lump in her throat sitting down in the pilot’s seat, chin resting on her fingers. Hancock watched her, feeling her detaching so much from him already. She didn’t sleep near him, he tried to comfort her, and… And she’d just tug away from him. “Hey.” Came his still voice from the outside of the craft.

Her eyes flickered over to him, the only sign that she’d registered his voice.

“Listen, I’m no good at this… Opening up stuff myself, but… You haven’t been makin’ this easy. You’re pullin’ away from me.”

“It’s not easy.” She expressed in a devastated whisper, overlooking the waters of the Castle. “I don’t know how to feel, with… With all of this…” Tears threatened to build up, but she swallowed it with the bitterness of anger still left over in her gut. John hoisted himself up into the craft bypassing the large minigun on the side. “Think ya might need to take some time with yourself.” He said after a little while. “Stop with the travelin’ for a little…”

She shot him a sharp work at the words he said. “You mean to send you back home?” She demanded offendedly. “Am I too much to handle?” She lashed out at him, even though he did nothing to deserve it. John was patient though. “Not send me back. You ain’t too much to handle, Sunshine…” knelt down next to her watching the dogtags dangling, dancing in the fall breeze that ran through. They were like little mirrors, reflecting the ghoul and human back when they turned.

Maddie’s eyes were void of any readable emotion. It’d been like that since that fateful night. There were times he’d catch the morose guilty intertwined with the hate. Hate for the world, or for her situation, he wasn’t sure. They tried so hard to pull out of that space. Hancock tried for her, to get out of this void he was in. Everything was completely fine, but like always, it didn’t last.

The platinum haired woman scoffed vocally, a sharp cut in the thin paper veil between them. “My prayers are like cigarettes.” She said in a tight murmur, “They’ll take the headache away, but then turn to ash…” She faced her love, cupping his face with a trembling palm. She didn’t wanna be so open with him, to let her see how broken her inside. “They bring me back to life when I find a new light, but then they bring up my past and I just-” She broke off, throwing her hands against her lap when the tremor of devastation seeped in like thick syrup. “I fall further, and further…”

Tears brimmed her eyes whispering, “I never thought I’d be the one to fall in love after Nate. If there’s anything I know, it’s that I know nothing about myself at all…” She ran her fingers through her hair leaning her forehead against the wheel to hide herself from shame of it all. “God, John, how did it come to this?” She gritted her teeth against the alien sob threatening to claw its way out of her broken heart.

She threw punch after punch after punch against the inside of the vertibird overcome by her negative emotions. She didn’t know what she was more upset by, or at. “I don’t wanna get back up sometimes!” She cried, whirling to face the mayor with such accusation in her eyes. “Because it’ll kill me to know I’ll just fucking _fall_ again.”

“My hands aren’t clean,” John began, catching her hand when she tried turning from him. “Maybe they never will be, but they can carry you home when you’re ready.” He pulled her close, knowing the exact words and the intent of the anxieties attached to them. He didn’t wanna sit by so idle while she fought all these demons attached to her. “You’re a new woman, remember?” He attempted, touching the soft hair on her head.

“I’m nothing.” She whispered hoarsely. “I’m an empty vessel. I can fool myself for all it’s worth, I’m the vessel… Not the poison.” She pulled out of his reach fighting the urge to hurt him, or herself, or someone else. There was so much ravaging inside her, this whole new monster of a person this forsaken land was pulling out of her. Even looking in Hancock’s eyes, she saw herself. The broken lady with trembling hands, with the sharp viper like stare… The empty emotions in them.

She felt nothing.

When he touched her, she felt bitterness.

When he kissed her she felt… Nothing.

Maybe it was her getting in the way of herself, or maybe everything just happened too fast. She was never any good at dealing with death, and now look, it happened everywhere around her. She was death, blood staining her hands no matter how many times she washed them clean. She blistered her skin with rags because she hated the feeling of blood tickling her skin after it was long gone. She didn’t want to lose him, the only good thing she had, but now… But now. Maybe that wasn’t enough.

He saw the realization in her eyes the moment that thought crossed her mind. As agonizing as it was to understand exactly what she meant, it lacerated his iron heart to know she felt it just as strongly. “I know what ya mean.” He whispered, striking a match on his palm. He used it to light the end of his cigarette, swallowing his fear for the unknowing future ahead, “I haven’t felt that since I met you, you gave me a purpose, to see maybe I’m not as bad as I may have been to find someone like you.”

“Don’t say stuff like that to me.” She begged, her voice wavering dolefully. “Not now, John.” Guilt intertwined watching the pieces click together in his head. “You’re leaving me ain’t ya?” His voice was tender with dismal, lowering his cigarette to look at her. She turned her head away.

Something inside him shattered.

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t want me anymore.” He challenged, the anger rising to cover his brutal hurt. “After everything, are you really gonna shut me out right now and leave because that’s what’s easiest for you?”

“It’s not like that!” She argued, lashing out to grip his jacket in such a pleading woe. “John, understand that things are so fucking confusing. I lost my son, I killed him with my own hands, maybe I could have been wrong about what all of his intentions were-”

“You’re speaking nonsense!” He roared, tossing the fag right out into the courtyard of the castle. “You didn’t have a choice!”

“It would have saved innocent lives!”

“The institute killed innocent lives, Madeleine!”

She shoved him then, forcing him out of the opposite opening of the Vertibird. “It would have saved Danse!” She cried forcefully. “It would have saved us all this bloodshed, saved me!”

He glared her down his teeth audibly grinding like steel poles being rubbed together vigorously. “You saved me, don’t ya get it?” His voice was gravel against her raw knees scraping and bloodying up her insides. “I didn’t know redemption before you, hell, all of us didn’t. You can’t just leave me. Because then- then I wouldn’t know what to do.” He said dejectedly, growing more faint. “What the meaning of life is, if you ain’t here. Sometimes ya gotta get your hands dirty.”

The ghoul fixed the hat sliding off his head, looking over to the distant ocean horizon. “It ain’t ever gonna be easy. But things happen - shit happens. I can’t help you fight if you’re not willing to let me see what goes on, Maddie.” He turned to her again, cupping her face in both of his hands. “Whatever ya do, don’t go walkin’ out on me. You’re the best thing I got…”

“I need time.” She whispered, pulling herself free of him. “I’m not saying we should break up, I just…” She tucked her hair back behind her ear, thinking back on everything. She couldn’t ever be without him, recalling his body all bloodied on the battleground. Fighting and scratching and pleading for them to let her go to him. She flinched visibly away from the memory, folding her arms across the chest to fight the cold prick of treachery. “John, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to drag you with me through this.”

“Do you love me?” He asked her. “Do you feel sick when we fight? Do you miss me even when I’m gone for a second?”

Maddie stuttered, “Of course I-”

“Could you face yourself in the mirror every morning, knowing you made the right decision?”

“Sometimes it takes time but if it came to that-”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re leaving.” He demanded again, grabbing her chin to force their eyes to meet. “Be the valiant woman you are and tell the man you’re in love with you’re leaving. Tell me you need time.”

But she couldn’t. She knew without a shadow of a doubt he wasn’t just some choice she had to choose. She had everyone, herself, and no one. Her heart was aching and she was angry, but if she just set it aside, she felt that love. At the moment the whole world was crippling her at once. “Say. It.” He gritted out.

She shook her head weakly in his hold, her breath rushing out swiftly, “I can’t.” He lowered his hands away slowly, the two of them staring at each other again. “Then ya don’t mean it.” He muttered darkly vocalizing what that little inner voice in his head was saying. “You’re not sure of what you want.”

“That’s why I need time to figure it out.” She said in a choked up insinuation. “I don’t know. I can’t handle having someone else to go through this with me.”

“I’m in this forever,” Hancock replied feeling as if he might fall apart right there. “That means for better or worse. That means through ups and downs, uncertainty, and deliverance. I’ve seen you at your worst-”

“I’m at my worst.”

“And still, I’m hopelessly gone for you, woman.”

Maddie sobbed then, falling forward on him. This man was her best friend, her match, equal and opposite reaction. To have to question what all of this means to her… She never imagined herself to be the one to cut it off. He hugged her then, because even as angry as he was, he loved her beyond measurable words. “Do you need time?” He asked, burying his nonexistent nose into her hair.

Maddie nodded solemnly, clinging to him despite her words. “I love you, John. It’s just hard right now because when you touch me, I feel like I have to pull away. When you kiss me, I-I just…”

He pulled away to kiss her, letting their mouths linger longer than it should have been necessary. It was a silent goodbye, a way to shut her up not wanting to know what that final sentence was. “When you’re ready,” He stated, back already turned to her, “Ya know where to find me at.” She watched him retreat with her heart in her throat. Her stomach tumbled over with dread. She hurried to her quarters where she lost it all alone, for once, as lonely as she felt.

She hated to admit it, but she felt the mistake of turning him away. When he was gone her heart fell apart at her feet and any remaining glue to this world she had fell apart like it was just gentle bits of fragile porcelain. She was seeing herself from an outsiders perspective, a truly broken woman who had nothing to gain, and nothing to lose. A ghost of what and who she used to be. She looked up to see a stack of books he liked reading. Just a simple few bunch of things he used to fill the void of sound in the room, and his head. She swallowed her sobs again just to curl up in on herself again.

Hancock couldn’t believe this is where things ended up. Her smell, her clothes, her _shit_  littered all over the state house when he arrived. It smacked him hard in the face when he opened his office door and found her panties hanging from the fan above, her jumpsuit depleted in the corner of the room. The ghoul cursed, throwing a nearby book across the room with a raging howl.

_“When you touch me, I feel like I have to pull away…”  How fucking sad she looked having to finally admit it to him._

The familiar sound of her laughter like church bells when the hour hits. The feeling of her lips all over him, drenching him in so much love that was limited to this. He couldn’t blame her after all. Someone like her didn’t love someone like him. Not someone who chugged a bottle to forget his past. Fuck, he wanted to marry this woman. He never once thought of himself as one to settle down, now here he was with this empty hole in the middle of his chest.

“Goddamnit all!” He roared tossing the lamp across the room splintering it in a million pieces. He was a broken man fooled by the devious smile of such a rambunctious spitfire like Maddie. Knowing she kept pulling away, he could feel her indecisiveness. When he hugged her, her heart wasn’t in it when her arms embraced him. When he kissed her, her lips trembled. There were times he’d catch her forcing herself to be affectionate. Slamming his lips to his like she was trying to convince him, when it only painted her choice in gold.

Hancock slumped down on the couch in the middle of his office, face in his hands. How could he have ever thought something like this would last? What if she decided she didn’t love him, what if it was never ever okay? He rubbed his palms along his face. That night, he got as fucked as he could. He drank Chuck dry of any of the strongest liquor he had. He may or may not have shot up some potent shit and kissed a stranger or two.

He couldn’t even tell you his name if he tried. But he remembered hers. He remembered Maddie’s smile, when the lights dimmed down in the Third Rail, he could taste her bedroom eyes drawing him in. He wanted to yell, eighty proof wasn’t shit compared to her. The lips of men and woman, no matter how pretty and plump, thin and chapped, they weren’t hers.

The woman he brought home that night, she had her hair. When he closed his eyes, it was her. When he woke up the following day, he boiled himself down to a puddle of nothing because he woke up alone. It was the circles, all over again. It was almost like she never existed until he caught her scent when he passed room to room. He’d find her there. When he popped mentats, it was her sitting on the corner of his desk reading while he did work. When he knuckled his eyes to get rid of the image, there she was kneeling over his desk with her chin in her palm peering at him with those honey gold eyes.

If he could cry, if he allowed himself to, John would have.

Instead, he did what he did best.

He drank and drank and drank.

He smoked and smoked and smoked until he couldn’t taste her, but the metallic taste of tobacco and the rawness of a stranger's mouth.


	31. Chapter 31

Everyday time seemed to blow by without Maddie taking any form of notice. The people rushed before her as fast as the speed of light, but she was in a complete standstill staring at the middle. She left Hancock right where she found him in the Goodneighbor hutters, but… Yet, here she was sitting at a small cafe table in Daisy's little shop sipping on a Nuka Cola. She hadn’t intended to make a pause in her crusade of the Commonwealth, but the neon lights caught her attention - she missed her piece of home. At the same time, no one could know she was there. Word got to Hancock, there’s no telling what would happen.

“You’re really brave comin’ around here knowing that drunk could spring free at any moment.” Said the ghoul woman measuring the level of Maddie’s otherwise even expression. “Lucky for you he was out partying harder than I’ve seen him in a while.” She left out the part where he brought a dude and two ladies with him back home. He’d be busy for a while.

The glass bottle clanked when Maddie set it down, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand murmuring, “Yeah, well,” and smiled a grin so thin and lifeless Daisy cringed when she caught it. “I’m not here long. I wanted to stop by because I missed you.” I missed him, she thought feeling her heart give that violent wrench at the thought of how fucking bitter the air tasted now that there was nothing but regret, guilt, and loss surrounding her in this place. The town lost its sparkle when the mayor was the reason she couldn’t sleep at night.

And judging from the slick side eye she received, the storekeeper didn’t believe it either. Maddie just forced out a laugh resembling more of a choked sob. Even she flinched. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” She asked, biting down on the knuckle of her finger when she leaned her elbow on the table. Thin strands of wavy hair fell down from her bun tickling her face when she felt the familiar sting of tears making her eyes hard to adjust when she fought them back. She stared right outside the window, right through to the doors.

It was almost like she expected him to catch the whiff of her and run out with his coattails flying in the wind. “Like a sore thumb in an all-white party.” Replied Daisy, wiping down the counter with such a motherly look she passed over to her, “Love doesn’t ever go away if it’s real.”

The words were arrows in her heart. She sucked in an audible gasp, turning her head to focus on a disposed of shell casing in the dusty old corner of the room. The clouds above rolled with thunderous applause, a rainstorm on the way. Her eyes slowly followed to the window she could see, exposing his bedroom window. There was a light on and dancing shadows on the blinds. She could make out the unmistakable hat among the bodies in there, then the light went out, and her trance was broken.

John was so close. She could suck up her pride and make amends, but she needed to fix that gaping hole in her heart. Her love for him was… Was never, exactly in any doubt, her whole world was just turned upside down so quick, and he deserved… Freedom. From problems that weren’t ever his. He deserved better than her. She drew her soft brown eyes over to Daisy muttering, “I think ‘M gonna head out…” She didn’t wanna stay any longer, especially knowing that John had someone upstairs, right back to his old ways. And here she was looking for some way to find the stitches to pull the broken pieces of her heart together, to find cement to fix her walls, and all he had to do was find someone else. Throwing up her hood, she ran overthrowing her arms around Daisy’s neck. Hugging her as tightly as she could. She wouldn’t be back for a long, long time if she could help it. “Please be safe,” Daisy begged, pulling away to cup her chin with a fond melancholic smile on her face. “I want to see you again.”

Smiling some to herself, Maddie nodded, pulling back to kiss her cheek.

She turned out of the store running through the sudden wave of rain pouring down. She’d just head back to Diamond City and take up with Ellie to decorate the office for the holidays. She rushed out holding tight to her hood so the breeze didn’t shove it off exposing her. She thunked into a body that was much too comfortable against hers, hands so strong and warm wrapped around her upper arms in an attempt to keep her from tumbling over Hancock’s boot. “Easy, now.” Came that luxurious purr.

Her heart thunked wildly and the tears she held back sprung right back up. He felt so warm like whiskey running in her veins. He felt like home and the smell of chems and whiskey filled up her nose. She wanted so badly to look up to see that crooked dashing smile she knew was on his face. Eyes widening, she breathed with her head ducked down, “Excuse me.” Dipping out of the door at a pace she didn’t even know she could run.

It was Maddie. It was her voice.

Hancock watched after her, dashing out to find her gone. He could check for her all over, but it was the fact she came back. Whipping around on the heels of his shoes, he made eye contact with Daisy. She “nonchalantly” looked away busying herself with… The register. Counting caps. “She was here, wasn’t she?” He demanded, throwing his hands down on the counter with an evil glare.

“Who?” She feigned innocent, paying no mind to his temper tantrum.

“Maddie. The general of the Minutemen.”

“She stopped by to see me.” She answered, looking at him with an exasperated expression. “Last time I checked, you didn’t run my personal life so stop digging into it.”

She’d been here, she still came by. “Don’t get your head in the clouds.” The other ghoul said, sympathy laced in her tone. “That was her first time since you guys broke up. I don’t see her returning anytime soon, ‘m afraid.”

The mayor cursed the voice in his head, wishing his dick wasn’t sore because of some random hook up. He wished his bed was cold instead of some woman taking up her side of the bed. He hated himself for going back to the only comfort he could know. He did know. Daisy reached over to wrap her hand around his fingers muttering to him softly, “It’s okay.” He lifted his eyes, and there was so much turmoil laced in the dark puddles. The lights of the lanterns reflected back at her, but the flames in his eyes were from the fire that still burned for her, Maddie.

“If you miss her, do something.” She whispered to him. Chuckling, Hancock leaned his back against the counter so she couldn’t read him anymore. Folding his arms across his chest he mumbled, “You can’t make someone else love you. It was her choice to go, I fought for her every chance I had. She’s been through a lot.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t be a friend-”

“Drop it.” He hissed at her. “Maddie made her choice. Who cares if it hurt me.” He spat full of venom laced with the hurt and fury she left behind. She’d been so close, he felt her. He knew her. He purposely stuck out his boot so she could fall, but like always, she ran. He saw the brown of her eyes when the hood blew back enough to expose that fair, yet flushed cheeks of hers. She’d tensed up when she saw him.

Like a bug in a spider’s web. “You care.” She answered, rounding the counter to stand before him. “Reach out to her. Fix this. You wanted to marry her, you loved her enough to silence everything you believed in, and put your faith in her.” She desperately flicked her baby blue eyes back and forth, reading the grim drawn face of the mayor.

“She took on so much, and you did your best. None of this is on you, anymore. It’s all on her, and it’s time for you to stop waiting around and focus on you. If it’s meant to be, it will be regardless..” Brushing her bangs from her face, her one eyebrow cocked up when he opened his mouth to object. Deflating, he muttered, “Guess you’re right…” Though, it seemed so much easier to say rather than to put it into action. She’d been there.

Maddie hadn’t known her longing to see him wouldn’t leave, even after the fact. Swallowing tightly, she gripped onto the front of Nick’s blazer, feeling the warmth of his false body a weird comfort to the General. “You went there in hopes of seeing him.” He told her, trying not to be so harsh when she was unleashing weeks worth of tears on his outfit. “You got what you wanted. Why didn’t you just try, oh, I don’t know, speaking to him maybe?”

“He had someone there with him, he’s Hancock. I didn’t want my first time seeing him be… Ya know.” She finished, cringing and feeling absolutely sick to her stomach it didn’t bother him to have someone grabbing on him after her. She destroyed a man, one she still loved a whole lot. “What we had was more than just our bodies at night, it was more than… Then this.” She sighed exasperatedly, gripping the detective by his shoulders her eyes huge and wild with a craze he couldn’t even begin to understand, “Why me?”

It was a question he often asked himself, but he signed himself up for life as a synth. He knew what he was doing when he ran for experiments. Maddie was just trying to live, to survive. “You’re here for a reason, doll.” He drawled, running his robotic fingers over her hair which made her shiver when the cool metal made contact with her still damp scalp from the rain. “Don’t let that dunce of a meathead make ya feel bad about your choices, you deserve to get your life on track, too. To have peace.” He countered.

Maddie was pretty good at keeping herself busy with all the work minutemen were doing. She steered clear of Goodneighbor, no matter how much her heart tugged her to go in when she passed by on the way to the Railroad HQ. Arriving back at the castle, she slung her pistol to the side stumbling to the side with exhaustion ripe in her being. Her body ached in every way. She helped Desdemona to free a few synths, that ended up turning into a giant cluster fuck. Preston greeted her with a familiar affectionate, “Hey, general.” She merely waved to him, passing by on her way to her room.

He stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. “You look sick, general.” He remarked, thick eyebrows pulling together in concern. “Are you all right? I saw, for once, all settlements are okay. You’ve been busy.”

She mustered a smile, nodding in agreement. “Yeah.” She mused, flipping her curly bangs from her face tucking them behind her ear. “It’s been pretty hectic. What do ya need?”

Instead of responding he turned with his musket pointing to the person standing behind the radio broadcaster. A thin woman dressed in road leathers awaited her. “Haylen?” Maddie gasped, immediately on the defense.

She took a projected step back grabbing for the blade in her back pocket of her shorts. Preston grabbed her wrist giving her a disapproving look. “You might wanna listen to her.” He advised solidly.

Haylen’s familiar eyes were soft with the wariness of her friend. She shuffled her feet along the dusty ground anxiously before she spoke, “Maddie. Hi.”

“What brings you here?” Maddie asked. “If you’re doing some kind of spying from the brotherhood, understand, I follow my own orders. Friend or foe, I won’t have them listening in on my men and me.”

“Listen would you!” The brown-haired woman snapped, fists clenching at her sides in aggravation. “I don’t wanna be a part of the brotherhood anymore. I haven’t, the moment I heard about Danse…” The scribe blew out air in a dark chuckle. “I wondered, the principles of them… Even with Danse being what he was, how they could just turn on him like he wasn’t the whole reason we were reconned here…”

The general immediately grew from wary to longing, the name Danse bringing her some sort of solace in her dark times. “And when Elder Maxson turned up dead, we all knew it was you.” Her eyes weren’t accusing, but understanding. “There’s a high bounty on your head, but I just… Couldn’t sit by. You’ve followed us to the very end. I learned a lot from you. You were every bit of a leader Maxson wasn’t, you didn’t harm a soul. You care for everyone, anyone, synth, ghoul, or human.

“I wanna follow someone who genuinely has the heart of the commonwealth in their entire being. To follow someone as genuine as you…” Haylen finished, anxiously dancing her fingers along the chain linked bracelet on her wrist. “What are you saying..?” She whispered softly. “Do you wanna be a minuteman?”

Haylen nodded once, her eyes searching Maddie’s for any form of fury. “I… Yeah, I do. I thought of going to Goodneighbor to find you since you and the mayor are… Ya know…”

“Were. We were.” Maddie corrected, swallowing the bile.

“Right, yeah… So I heard.” She said, sympathy lacing her tone. “I came here instead, Preston said you were out running missions. I decided to wait here. I hadn’t slept in days, just because I know my brothers and sisters will come looking if I don’t respond.”

Maddie skipped forward hugging her so goddamn tight it hurt her nagging back. “I’ve been so worried about you.” The general whispered next to her ear affectionately. “Fuck, Haylen,” she retreated grabbing her hands immediately. “I felt so guilty, betraying you, and Rhys… I loved you guys, I mean, I do.”

She ran her fingers through her hair with a sad little laugh. “I betrayed you guys, I had to. I begged Maxson to just… Listen. He killed him, beheaded him right there like he hadn’t been praising him just hours before…”

Haylen inhaled sharply, looking as if she might be sick herself. “I… We found Maxson’s body, but Danse’s…”

“I buried him back in Sanctuary,” Maddie explained humanely. “I wasn’t gonna leave him there like he didn’t matter to someone. He was my mentor, yeah, but he was my strongest, most loyal friend… He fought side by side with all of us, gave his life for my men without question.” Maddie didn’t deserve his loyalty, and to lose him still stung.

Haylen smiled comfortingly, her shoulders easing. “That was Danse.”

Maddie nodded in agreement, “It was. Not that I’m doubting you, but… I need you to swear your loyalty to me, to these people. The Minutemen fight for everyone, and anyone. Ghoul, super mutant, synth, man, woman. Anyone in between.” She held out her hand for her to take. “I need you to swear your allegiance, Haylen. You will be loved, taken care of, and respected. There are no ranks, everyone is as important as they make themselves.”

Haylen nodded, the pleasantries dropping from her face. Her lips were drawn into a serious line. “I swear my allegiance to guard and protect the Commonwealth,” She swore to take both of Maddie’s hands in her own. “I want nothing more than to be a minuteman.”

“Welcome aboard, soldier. Preston, give her a tour will ya?”

With Haylen aboard, she felt so much better about her choice. All but one.

But she wasn’t gonna focus on it.

It’d been weeks, almost a full two months since she saw or heard from Hancock. Part of her wanted to find relief in that fact, but the biggest part of her wanted that back. She was shuffling around her paperwork when a few words caught her attention on a stray page. “Goodneighbor?” She choked, racing back a few syllables to read from the top. It was Hancock’s messy handwriting, asking the Minutemen to help for security.

Apparently, a few of the neighborhood watch got power hungry, and he thought the Minutemen would be the best bet. The kicker? He wanted to meet with the general to discuss the plans, to see what they could possibly come up with to make this question a reality. Something like turmoil churned in her stomach, her heart skipping a few good beats at the thought of seeing him again. At the bottom of the page was scribbled,

Do not write back. Messages are being intercepted by scribes of the brotherhood. Come at your earliest convenience.

Maddie could have scoffed in disgust at how cheesy it was, she knew this was some ploy to get her face to face with him again without being so point blank with it. He could have easily gone to Preston about this. Speaking of… She got up pushing her chair back against the walls behind her when she rose up from her desk. “Preston!” She called up to him from his post. She waved the letter in the air calling up, “Did you know anything about this possible servicing with Goodneighbor?”

Even from feet down below him, she saw the black male blanch. A smug scowl crossed her face, cocking up a suspicious eyebrow. “Well?” She pressed, waiting for an explanation from him. He slid down the ladder she had built up so there weren’t any more accident reports of people skinning their elbows, or breaking ankles. She knew half of it were from the newbies who wanted out of the hard manual work.

“Goodneighbor?” He repeated in a suspecting higher octave. “Can’t say I have?”

“Is that so?” She drawled, hands going to her hips. “As your general, I command to know every detail you have to discuss. Why did you go there?”

“ _Listen_ ,” Preston fessed up with a heavy sigh. “I was nearby running to Diamond City for some more funds, extra ammo. I decided to stop by Goodneighbor just to catch up, see what was goin’ on.” The pissier she got, the more he pressed the issue. “General, you’ve been so down since he left-”

“That's none of your business!” She shrieked, throwing the letter at his face. It floated down to rest in a puddle from the water pump nearby.

“Maddie,” Preston snapped. “I respect you as a general, but sometimes being a friend comes first. Hancock is interested in having the Minutemen take their neighborhood watch. It’s only fair you hear him out, and speak to him about this opportunity.”

“Haylen can go-” She began, stammering around the nerves surrounding her heart. It felt like it was gonna collapse out of her chest. “She can easily surpass any sort of brotherhood recons-”

Preston growled in aggravation speaking with as much emotion she’s ever heard from him. “No! You go and you talk to Hancock like a woman. I’m tired of seeing you so down - he’s not much better!”

“This is _elementary!_ ” She bellowed furiously. “Who cares?”

“General, _you do!_ ” Preston snapped, pointing a finger right into her chest. “You think I don’t notice the shit you do when we go anywhere near that place? You deflate like a balloon! You still care about him!”

And that was how she found herself outside of the familiar gates with the resonating neon sign adding color to her navy suit turning her pale skin the color of red wine. She pushed it open peering around anxiously her heart hopping to her chest when she spotted Daisy checking in a caravan. No sign of John yet, cool. “Okay…” She sighed in relief to herself. “You can do this, Maddie.”

There was the familiar ruckus of bickering between the ghoul and mercenary when she fully exposed herself leaning back on the door with a relieving smile. It smelled of piss and garbage, nothing like the exalting salty beach air from the castle. It was whiskey and sunshine, even under the dirty blood-soaked roads of history. “Well, look what the Wasteland dragged in,” Joseph commented, grinning over at her, his dark eyes brightening from seeing a familiar face. “Don’t try to change the subject-” Daisy objected, smacking him over the head with the clipboard.

“We can’t sell a bad can of cram to another drifter,” She continued, seemingly unaware of her presence. Cracking an animated smile she kicked her feet on the pavement to throw herself at him. Daisy stumbled from the cloud of dust around her suddenly.

“What the-” She cackled, throwing the thin cardboard surface down impatiently. MacCready hugged her as tightly as ever, her small heart swelling so full of emotion. “Oh, I’ve missed you.” She mused, kissing his cheeks again and again.

“Guess I’m chopped ghoul, huh?” Daisy muttered, rolling her eyes. Maddie shook her head hugging her like she hugged her grandmother. Under the musk of sweat and rain, she smelled of the powdery perfume she was well known for.

“What brings you here?” Joseph asked, picking at the ends of her navy suit. “I’m guessin’ you’re here on army business.”

“Yeah,” Her voice grew heavy with ambivalence. “I got a letter from Hancock about something to do with the neighborhood watch.”

“We’ve been having problems…” Daisy agreed slowly.

“Problems?” Scoffed MacCready. “They’ve been mugging drifters. Came upon a scene behind the Third Rail the other day. I went to Hancock immediately, the poor guy never saw it comin’.”

Maddie could see the scene he was wittingly trying to paint in her head without all the gore. She knew this town, and this deadly world well enough to know where he was getting to. “Well, I hope for this town’s sake we can work something out,” Maddie stated, trying to keep it all casual like everyone didn’t know how obviously difficult this would be for the former couple. Daisy cocked up an eyebrow at her.

Maddie turned to the statehouse already feeling a pair of eyes on her from the floor above.

He didn’t know who else to turn to when he learned of the full underground business the neighborhood watch was running. He helped clear out a few triggermen who were just as good as raiders with Maddie all that time ago. Turns out that it was a bigger operation than he gave them credit for. Hancock was at his desk going over the reports of all the caps missing from the town safe when he heard a knock at the door.

When he looked, he didn’t expect to see Preston Garvey standing there. “Well,” Hancock greeted with the signature crooked smirk. “If it ain’t Napoleon.” He moved to greet him, shaking the minutemen’s hand. Haphazardly looking over his shoulder for the petite woman. Catching his stare, the man shook his head apologetically, “It’s just me. May I come in?”

“Always the one with the manners.” Hancock chuckled. “Of course. Mi Casa, Su Casa or whatever.” He flopped back in his chair, leaning it on the last two legs crossing his ankles on top of his desk. “What brings you this way down south?”

“Had to grab a few cases of ammo for the Castle. Trading has been slow.” He explained, sitting in the armchair to the corner of the room. “Decided to stop in, I haven’t heard from you too much. I think we’re docile enough to consider ourselves acquaintances.”

“I think ya right.” Hancock chuckled with a crooked smile. “Been havin’ some problems with our town’s guards. I was actually considering hiring on the Minutemen as a little bit of surveillance. You guys have got quite an alliance now. I trust them enough to not disturb our little peace here.”

“Well, you can bet your ass our little army will gladly help,” Preston replied. There was a silence, Hancock couldn’t resist himself from asking, “How is Maddie?”

The minuteman suspected that question wasn’t too far off from the moment he sat down. “Can I be honest, mayor?”

“Honesty is the best policy.”

“She’s not doing too good if you ask me. She’s been running herself a little ragged.”

“That’s not unusual.” The ghoul countered, wondering why the fuck he’d even be asking.

“Yeah, but…” He looked about as if expecting cameras or someone to be listening in, “She hasn’t been the same since that day. She’s lost whatever spirit she’d had.”

Hancock nodded, feeling a sharp punch to his gut. She wasn’t doing much better than him, then.

He devised a brilliant plan to hopefully see her again. Preston must have hopped onto his train of thought because there came those familiar giggles. Hearing the cheering from the square outside, Hancock got up to look to the window hoping to see her.

And he did.

Maddie, dressed in the familiar neat navy minutemen suit, was hugging onto MacCready. Hancock sucked in a sharp breath not expecting that sharp kick to the teeth seeing that smile so dazzling, even from floors up. She looked so beautiful, and he recalled the first time he ever saw her. Those dangerous dazzling eyes. Why should he care so much? Wasn’t she the one who left him?

The moment she broke away starting or the old state house steps, he raced to look casual, leaning by the chem station. He caught the familiar light footsteps, fighting the smile on his face from seeing her again. Then, there she was. The beauty of the Commonwealth, general of the Minutemen. Harborer of his fantasies, and worst nightmares. Standing five foot tall, but with an attitude of an eight-foot man.

Her eyes were heavily bagged like she hadn’t slept in weeks, that, or someone finally tried stepping up to her and punched her lights out. Even under that, her hair was touching her shoulders in familiar darkening curls. Her eyes were as sharp as ever, and he didn’t miss that softening emotion in them before it hardened like rocks again. “Nice to see you again, mayor.” Her voice was level and professional, face unreadable.

He’d usually have some witty remark, but seeing her brought him up absolutely short. “Couldn't stay away? I know the feelin'..” It sounded more eager than he wanted, and he almost kicked himself then and there.

“I got your letter. Been having trouble with Brotherhood spies too?” She asked, seating herself down in the chair in front of his desk.

“I can imagine why,” He snorted, seating himself in the grand leather chair. “I haven’t personally fucked with the brotherhood. I’m glad you came.”

She hummed in reply, laying out the letter crumpled from where it’d gotten damp before. “Now, let’s discuss this plan you have for your town. How do you wanna play this?” She folded her arms across her chest, sitting back, plush lips in a measured frown.

Hancock considered a moment, tilting his head as he reread the scribble. He must’ve been more fucked than he realized when he wrote this because he didn’t recall even creating this.

“Well,” Hancock inhaled, sliding the paper back to her. “I gotta contract. I can easily forge somethin’ up that explains it’s expired, hire your men.”

“Seems simple enough,” Maddie said, ignoring the puke rising up in her throat. She tried to keep her swallowing down to a minimum if she could help it. The office was too quiet, and he was much too perceptive for his own good sometimes.

“I like to keep it that way if _I_ can help it.” There was a hint of malice in his tone.

She hadn’t missed it and narrowed her eyes at him. His lips quirked up into that sloppy smirk and she looked down to the letter to find something else to focus on other than him. “May we discuss payment?” He purred. “What do you expect out of this? Donations? Rations?”

“We ask nothing.” She snapped, eyes narrowed. “My funding alone keeps it open. Keep your caps.”

“Easy with the hostility, princess.” She was cracking, and it took so little from him. “We’re discussin’ business. Unless there’s something else you wanna put on the table.” He quirked up a bare eyebrow when her jaw clenched.

“I’m not stupid, Johnny Boy.” She hissed through her teeth. “This is your way of sucking up to me and getting me face to face with you again. I know you too damn well. You and Preston organized this.”

“Don’t sound so angry, ya know you’re happy to see my face.”

She threw her chair back when she stood up, slamming her hands down on his desk when she leaned forward, “If this isn’t serious business, I won’t discuss it.”

“Oh, it’s serious.” He taunted right back not relieving his position. “You’re the one jumping to conclusions. Of course, I wanted to see you, Maddie. It’s been too long.”

Was he really doing this right now?

“Fucking save it.” She laughed angrily. “I’ve been doing just fine.”

“Not from what I heard.”

“The fuck have you heard?”

“I can see it in your face.” He bit back, slamming his feet down on the ground when he shoved himself up. “You’re a fucking wreck. Sing that sad old song to someone who hasn’t run with you for the past almost two years.”

She faltered, and he lunged at her sign of weakness. “You chose this.” He reminded her bitterly. “We had every-fucking-thing. And you have the balls to grieve as if I hadn’t seen it all with you?” He walked around, shutting the door when one of the triggermen peeked in. There was only the light from the windows in the room, the blinds crossing lines across her pretty little face. “And you have the balls of steel to come in here like I’m not the one suffering.”

He grabbed her face and kissed her without another blink of an eye. She wanted to fight him off as she should have, but in his hands, her mind was putty. She grabbed the back of his neck swallowing his mouth with her own not wanting to relinquish this yet. Fuck, she missed it. The spark that started that dying fire in her. His hands dropped to her waist yanking her close to him. Their tongues fought for dominance, fingers gripping and tearing at whatever they could find.

She could taste the cigarettes and misery on him. He broke the kiss to nip along her exposed neck throwing her hat off in the distance. “Fuck,” She whimpered when he licked right beneath her ear blowing on it with chilly winter-fresh breath. Goosebumps sprung up on her skin, the feeling of him so close running her wild. She shouldn’t be doing this, she shouldn’t, but fuck, it made sense.

“John,” She moaned in his ear. She was pushing on him to get him to stop, but she really didn’t want it to. This was hers, Hancock was. Every inch of him yearned to be with her, on her, somewhere so close they couldn’t be separated. Two months of emotions sprung up.

He wanted to hurt her, fuck her senseless, take back what was his, but never wanted to let her go all at once. “Say my name again,” He moaned hoarsely, shrugging off her overcoat. He undid the button on her shirt diving down to lick and kiss and her exposed breasts.

She shook her head, pushing at his head. She pried herself away staring at him with her arms crossed her chest, concealing herself behind them. “Stop!” She gasped. Her fingers rapidly danced on her buttons to redo them. “No, we-we can’t,” She muttered, throwing her wrinkled jacket on.

John grabbed her hand the moment she bent down to pick up her hat. “Maddie,” He begged softly. “Don’t leave without listenin’ to me.”

“You just tried to fuck me!” She panted, throwing a book at him. “I don’t wanna listen to you.”

“I still fuckin’ love you, crazy.” He barked, grabbing the next novel she was planning to launch at him. “I never stopped, there’s no way. Drunk or sober I see your face. I know your name even when I don’t fuckin’ remember mine. I’ve been sober because anytime I get to drinkin’, missin’ you is a thousand times worse.”

Maddie felt her heart catch in her throat. “How can you love me?” She whispered despairingly. “John, after everything…”

“You got that fight in ya. You’re more than your mistakes.” Hancock paced, grabbing the top of his hat. He lifted it then shifted it back on to get it fit better. “I… Since I first saw you, I saw my future. Then to live it…” The ghoul leaned his lower back on his desk, staring up into her baffled face. “I was at home, with ya. What we got feels better than the chems... all right, maybe like 80% as good.” He said in amusement. He sighed, the seriousness returning again. “You and me. We've done some really damn good out here. And I'm looking forward to doin' a lot more.”

Maddie anxiously bit her lower lip, fighting off the emotional outbreak threatening to get out. Hesitating with his feet shuffled before the table he was on, he looked up when he crossed the small feet between them.

“You're my kinda trouble.” He touched her face with her fingertips feeling the smooth porcelain as cool as ice under his warm ruined fingertips. Maddie swallowed, bringing up a shaking hand to rest over his.

She had to find her own way. She was more than what this whole fuckin Commonwealth has made of her. She listened to the song her heart was singing. The closer she got to Goodneighbor, to him, it sang soprano. She was allowed to be happy, and if it was with him… So be it. “I…” She began. “John-” He kissed her again, and this time she didn’t fight it. She didn’t fight him, fight the voice he gave to her. Sure, she was kicking ass and taking names before him, but there was a person inside she thought Nate took with her,

He always awoke that flame hidden under the ice cold glacier that formed. It’d been two months and he waited, he tried. Her lower lip wobbled against his thin ones, tugging back to look up at him. She was standing at a crossroad all alone, and she could choose to live in the past she kept trying to run for, living in the past of losing, or live where she loses and wins, life wasn’t always gonna turn out in her favor.

“Stay.” He asked hoarsely, cupping her face bringing their foreheads together. “Even if ‘s just for tonight, Mads… Give me one more night with ya.”

She shook her head sucking in her lower lip, cupping the back of his neck closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay. “I’m not at home in my own home, and I’ve been rushing around to avoid missing you. It’s been killing me. I… I didn’t wanna keep you around if I was just so… Lost. Watching you walk away, It was the worst choice I could have made for any of us. I saw families, reuniting couples from raiders…”

She hugged his neck then digging her face into his neck whispering, “I’m so much more than what these things have made me into being. You gave me something I lost long ago… I found myself, every time I lost it, myself… There you were.”

“Give us another chance.”

“Do you really want this?”

“Marry me.”

Maddie tore from him incredulously. “Excuse me?” She threw herself back like she was avoiding the plague.

Hancock fished around on the opposite side of his desk bringing out a small velvet box, rushing in case she ran out on him. He swallowed the nerves in his throat not used to being in this sort of position, let alone being serious about it. “Y-you..?” Maddie struggled, seeing him.

“I’ve been wantin’ to ask ya for a little…” He began awkwardly, kneeling down before her opening up the square clam for her. “It was my mother’s, I…” He cleared his throat peering up at her from under his tricorn hat. “I want you to be my wife. I wanna spend all our days together as we have been, but I wanna make it official. I know these past few months haven’t been kind, but even with ya bein’ away… There’s no other person who could be my missing piece, not quite like you.”

Maddie squealed in disbelief cupping her hands over her mouth. The ring was a tarnished solitaire diamond twinkling back up at her. “You’re fucking serious?” She asked him, taking the box with trembling hands. Hancock was a lot of things, but a man desperate to pull a card like this, no. She pulled the ring out seeing the engravings of SLD.

“Savannah Lee McDonough.” Hancock vocalized. “This ring has been in my dad’s family for generations.” He explained, taking it from her just to hold it. “We thought she’d be the last one to have it. She passed it to me for this moment, when I find the special lady. There’s no one else fit enough like you..”

She met his eyes, then to the ring. “I am serious though.” He explained, nibbling on the inside of his cheek. A habit he picked up from her. “The plan I had was a little different, but... I wanna be the ghoul you’re stuck with for the rest of our days.”

Maddie nodded slowly whispering, “John, I… _Yes_.”

His eyes bulged. “What?”

“Yes. John, yes. I’ll marry you.” The smile was there, still in shock in how to process all of it.

"That's... Great." He chirped, not able to hide the unsure grin on his face. "Ya really mean that, right? 'S not just a shock thing?"

The vault dweller nodded, biting off a stray piece of skin from the corner of her lip. "If I wasn't sure I'd leave you high and dry right now." She countered, her dark eyes appraising him, searching his expression. "Do... You really wanna marry me? With all this baggage?"

"Do ya love me?" He asked softly. "Don't say yes if you're still on the fence about all this."

Maddie thought for a moment, feeling there in her gut this is what she wanted. "Kiss me again." She softly whispered, cupping his face. From that contact alone she felt like whatever missing piece that popped out and got lost among the puzzle, fit itself right back. He obliged pressing their mouths together, once twice again. "I love you." She clarified with a toothy grin.

He slid the ring on her finger replacing the empty space where Nate’s ring used to sit. She looked up at him and hugged his neck smashing their lips together, feeling at home for the first time in a while.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly just a little filler, because I wanted to update but all my ideas I had haven't worked themselves out just yet. Enjoy anyways!

There was something so exuberating about watching Maddie getting ready for the day that really turned him on. He awoke with the blistering headache of a hangover. “Fuckin’ hell…” He moaned, turning over to search for his favorite woman. “Good mornin’, pretty.” He purred, only to see her side of the bed with the blankets shoved aside. There was a temporary panic until he heard the shower running in his bathroom. He breathed out a relieved sigh, sitting up in time for the water to cut off.

Minutes later she walked out with a towel around her slim fit figure, her hair wrapped up in another one. She seemed unaware of the ghoul with a lit cigarette, watching her every move. She bent over in the dresser looking for clothes, surprised to see her drawer completely full on clean, and folded. She gasped audibly bringing up her jumpsuit with such a fragile ponder Hancock couldn’t help that little knowing smirk forming on his lips. Did she really expect him to toss out her things?

“Think you’d look better jus’ the way you are.” He commented, lighting up a cigarette. The vault dweller bounced on the balls of her feet whirling around to face him with a fright. “You’re awake.” She noted, looking from the suit in her hands to him. “You kept my clothes?” The ghoul merely shrugged taking a nonchalant drag, puffing the smoke from his nostrils.

“Wasn’t gonna just throw it away, ya know. Just in case ya ever came back to me.” He said softly, sitting above the blankets in the nude. “Guess I did somethin’ right.” He purred so confidently.

Maddie couldn’t shrug off the emotions, knowing even when she didn’t have any faith in this, he had hope. She breathed out a chuckle, shaking her head at him laying her outfit on the end up the bed. She grabbed her bag of makeup sitting inside her sack, disappearing back into the bathroom. John leaned up against the doorway, watching the funky faces she made when she put on eyeliner. He wondered if it hurt, touching your eye in that sensitive sort of area. Catching him in the reflection, she giggled a little. “What?”

He just shrugged, head tilted affectionately. “You.” He replied, ashing his cigarette on the tray near her elbow. She pulled a long face when applying her mascara, wiggling the brush until they touched her perfectly arched eyebrows. She really didn’t need it, no matter how much or how minimal she applied. But it undid him all the same when she turned those warm as whiskey eyes onto him each and every time. He couldn’t stop himself from pestering her.

He came behind her undoing the towel slowly from her body. She jumped, turning to look at him with the mascara wand just centimeters from her face. “What’re you doing?” She breathed, trying to hug it back around her. He didn’t respond, just watched her from the mirror. She replaced the cosmetic back catching onto the burning desire there in his eyes. The towel dropped to her pretty little feet. He slid his palms along her soft legs, noting that she shaved them today.

They were silk on cement, absolutely plush on his ruined hands. Maddie’s eyes fluttered fighting off the butterflies blooming in her stomach like they always did at the simple form of his touch. “You, woman,” Hancock muttered hoarsely, “are fuckin’ beautiful. Ya know that?” Usually, she’d protest. But it was something in the way he caressed her, the way he kissed her, and how his eyes never left hers when he brushed his thumbs over her nipples.

Her breath hitched in the cage of her ribs, the ghoul’s mouth curled up into a devious smirk. He twisted his hand in the towel in her hair throwing it into the damp shower behind him. Her curls fell a little past her shoulders when they cascaded down, and in that moment, there was nothing more gorgeous than Maddie. Her pale skin was clammy from the moisture of the air, cheeks flushed caused by the resigning heat of her shower. He kissed along her shoulders, following her shoulder blades until he reached the other side.

He worshipped her, undeniably. She leaned back into his touch fluid like water against an umbrella in the pouring rain. She ran down his body, made to fit against it in every way. He cupped his hands over the top of hers feeling the spring of the ring against his finger. It fit her perfectly, only enunciating his decision. There was nothing left in this world but the two of them. His eyelids were lidded when he flickered his ebony gaze to hers in the reflection of the mirror. “You’re my saving grace.” He praised in her ear, sliding a hand between her smooth little legs.

Shit, she shaved there too.

“How long were you in here?” He asked, running his fingertips over her mound. Maddie just grinned, spreading her legs, inviting him to explore more. “A while.” She fessed up, rolling her hips against his semi hard cock, fitting it right between her lips. The ghoul shook his head with a chuckle, what a tease. What a beautiful fucking woman he didn’t deserve, but here she was. His wife to be. He knotted his fingers through hers for the top. He broke his gaze to see how the rock on her finger fit so nicely, shining out between his tanned skin.

His fingers slipped down to find her clit rubbing it in the most slowest circle with his finger. Maddie bit her lower lip leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder. He had the best view, seeing her top half exposed by the glass before them. He saw the goosebumps spread over her skin, watching them explode like falling dominos. Her nipples prickled with pure pleasure. She slid a hand behind her to stroke him to full length, curling her thumb along the tip of his cock. He slid his arms around them, resting her own hands on her middle comfortably.

Holding her, he slid into her slowly. Feeling the tight heat of hers was absolutely nothing like the strangers he’d touched, it didn’t make him fall apart within seconds like this. It didn’t feel like it was meant to be. Maddie’s mouth fell open a little missing the stretch that came with him. “Fuck.” She breathed in the most sinfully delicious little grunt. Her golden brown eyes met his from the mirror, his cock twitching inside of her the moment it happened.

She never knew she had a kink for watching herself being fucked, in fact, she should have been so embarrassed by it, but it was absolutely the opposite. She could see Hancock’s muscles tensing and refracting as he moved, see the veins under his skin. She nibbled the corner of her lip when he started pushing and pulling so goddamn slow inside of her. It had been months since she had relief as sweet as his, and goddamn, had she missed it.

Hancock kissed along the side of her neck, eyes never leaving her even when her eyes fluttered closed mewling with each thrust. Her long lashes batted her cheeks, faded platinum hair curling around her face in damp moppy strings. Words couldn’t do it justice, she was art in human form. And here she was, with him in this very moment. In his bathroom, naked, sleeping in his bed. “John.” She sang his name in that delicious moan. “More.”

He picked up the pace until he was hammering into her passionately in the way she loved so much. Her knees turned to jelly when he angled his movements up into her in the way he knew she liked. She broke their hold to grip onto the sink, mouth open so she could pant out. He gripped her tiny little hips using it to power his own. She was so hot and wet, clenching around him perfectly. “Shit!” She muffled her sounds, but he wanted to hear them.

She chanted his name like a prayer, her legs shaking when she came without warning. He didn’t slow down, instead slammed up into her once, twice, and again, until she doubled over over the sink. Her moans turned to cries, cries turned into muffled yells by the towel she somehow got a hold of. She could, and would never, get tired of the fire he built up inside her. She was breathless when he came finally, releasing so hard it triggered more climaxes.

It was the emotions behind it that made moments like these so powerful. He wasn’t ready for when she tugged off of him, inclining those gorgeous eyes and smiling. Grinning right at him. He wrenched her around knotting his fingers in her hair, kissing her so hard her breath was gone within seconds. “I love you.” He rushed out, beating her to it. He peppered kisses all over her face whispering those three words between them. There was nothing left but those two.

And for now, it was more than enough.

There was a comfortable silence minus Diamond City radio with Hancock busying himself with more Goodneighbor work, and Maddie reading some new novel she found in the old library not too far from the town. She sat in a tanktop and panties, a processing cap smothered in dark navy beneath it. The ghoul kept looking up, just to marvel at her from beneath the shadow of his hat. She was humming to a tune to the song on the radio, tapping feet to it. The ghoul was trying all his might to keep from attacking her again.

He never knew it was possible for someone like himself to harbor so much love for one person this way. To feel completely at home, and to feel so utterly broken when she wasn’t near him even for a second. She fluttered her gaze from under her lashes, narrowing her eyes playfully when she caught him staring. He just chuckled, going back, only to do it all over again. She moved to the end of the bed stepping down one foot at a time. She leaned over his desk his eyes automatically going to the perky tits hidden behind the thin fabric of her shirt. “How busy can you be if you keep looking at me?” Hancock pushed the papers aside just to cup the back of her neck and smother her lips with his own. “Can ya blame a ghoul? Look at ya.” He smoothed his lips from her chin, back up to peck her lips again slowly. “I mean, it’s hard to stay focused when you’re lookin’ so goddamn good.”

She just rolled her eyes sitting on the corner of her desk, folding her dainty little legs as they swung from the desk. Hancock couldn’t take it anymore and threw the papers aside just to tackle her right down then and there. It was like a never ending cycle, and Maddie couldn’t help but wonder if he got into some sort of enhancement pill with how much love making they had going on.

Her laughter turned into moans within no time, and they spent more time inside than they honestly should have. She couldn’t get enough of him. Just when she thought she had enough, one of them would start all over again. Every kiss from him had her so hypnotized it was unreal. Hancock looked her over when she laying there in his overcoat, nude body kissing the evening sky when he opened the double doors to the balcony. Her new dark blue hair blended so well with her pale complexion, her cat like eyes were even brighter under it. The ring on her finger glistened, a reminder that she was his and no one else’s, and she looked so tempting even for him.

There’d be no excuse now for anyone to even remotely swing her way unless they had a deathwish now.

Maddie was ready to swing at anyone who even thought of approaching him.

Buttoning up the coat she threw her arms around his middle from behind, cigar dangling from the corner of her mouth. She rested her cheek on his back kissing along the back of his neck when she fingered it away from her lips. “What’s up, daddy?” She purred fluidly, puffing on the tobacco once again. Her curly hair was the prettiest mess, a porn star in real life. The girls on the magazine had no contest with her. “Checkin’ out the view.” He commented, placing his hands over her arms.

“Ain’t I somethin’ pretty to look at?” She teased with a playful pout. The ghoul turned in her arms cupping her chin to search those whiskey brown eyes. “Ya yank my chain, I can’t ever get enough of you.” He kissed her again, letting his lips linger more on hers with a devious smirk. “Ya keep lookin’ that good, I’mma need another round of your legs around my head.”

“Mmm, so tempting.” She giggled, resting her cheek on his chest. There was nothing better than this sexy little minx he called his, such a new easiness between the two of them. “You’re not worn out yet?”

Hancock shrugged, “When it comes to you? Never. Ya look even better in my costume than me, I’m not sure how to handle that.” He kissed the tip of her nose regretfully tugging away just to finish the work he kept putting off. Maddie stood outside leaning over the flagged balcony blanketing it, finishing off the rest of the cigar. Shaking his head, Hancock forced himself to focus with a few more mentats, pretending like her plump ass wasn’t asking for more attention from him.

It’d been good not running ragged around the Commonwealth, but as always, the work was never done. She was fast asleep back in Goodneighbor when her pipboy started flashing on the bedside table. It was bright enough to disturb the sleeping ghoul holding a bottle of vodka in one hand. Gritting his teeth Hancock sat up disposing of the bottle with such a loud clatter he thought it’d wake up the sleeping woman next to him. “Hey.” He shook her a little. “Up and at ‘em, general. You’re bein’ paged.”

It took her a few to come around, her eyes lidded when she looked up at him. Her hair was a crazy rat’s nest falling out of its hold in the small bun she had it pulled up into. “Ya with me there, Mads?” He asked, answering her confused expression. “Why’d you wake me?” She mumbled, already hugging her pillow to her pretty head and shuffling on her side, back to him. Her eyes zeroed in on the pipboy light, and immediately moaned.

Chuckling to himself, he got up lacing on his boots before she could even lift her head. “Preston?” He guessed. She slammed her hand onto the arm computer dragging it with as much strength as a rat pulling a toaster. “Nnnngah.” she replied, literally rolling right out of the bed. She’d been feeling much more sluggish lately, and Hancock noticed that change one morning when he made her breakfast, her favorite. Instead of eating, she ended up getting sick. She shrugged it off, but it was intensely worrying him.

She padded into the bathroom to use it, almost falling asleep there on the sink. Hancock frowned to himself walking over to place the back of his hand on her forehead, then his palm. He was always warm, so it wasn’t too much a surprise to her. However, it was to him. Her body heat was pushing right up against his. “Hey, no, you need rest. You’re burnin’ up” He scolded, helping her to her feet when she was finished. “Nah, ‘M fine.” She argued simply.

Even she couldn’t believe her own lie, though. She felt like she was gonna lose her stomach again. “How ‘bout this,” He eventually pondered, grabbing her arm to keep her from moving around to prepare herself for a fight. “I’ll go handle this one.”

“No.”

“You’re in no condition to fight.”

“I don’t wanna risk you goin’ out there!” She almost whined, hugging his neck. “You might not come back…”

“I’ll always come back, ya fool.” He kissed her forehead softly. “‘M John fuckin’ Hancock.”

“But-”

He kissed her forehead again, silencing her. “Go back to bed, love. I love you.”

She sighed heavily flopping back on the bed like a rejected child, a pout threatening to wobble on her lip. “Love you... “ She whispered, already crawling back into bed. She was out again before he could flick the lamp off with a final anxious look over at his lady love.

 


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of angry smut yes! Expect slower updates from here on. I've had this part of the story written before I ever got the plot out, or written the first chapter. Just hold onto your seats while real life works itself out with me.

Maddie couldn’t explain the random bursts of nausea, or why some of her best clothes couldn’t fit anymore. She was constantly active, but she figured it was from John keeping her eating with the home cooked meals and such. They were on their way to the castle again, hand in hand. She was leaning on his arm affectionately when they approached, but the good atmosphere seemed grim when they reached the destroyed walls. “Wonder what the problem is this time.” She mused, seeing a circle of her men in the middle of the courtyard.

However, when she got closer, she heard sobs, and a few angry curses. Hancock’s bare eyebrow rose up past the shadow of his hat, looking from her to the crowd of people. She tore herself from him with haste urgently running through the crowd. “What’s going on?” She demanded, looking from person to person finding herself skidding to her knees before the slain minuteman before her.

He was young, hair as sandy as the soil of the castle grounds. He had freckles littering his youthful expression. She recognized him as young Tommy Groover, one of the kids she recruited from Diamond City. His arms were lax over his middle where he must have been clutching at, with a severe whole was burned through. “The brotherhood.” She heard Ronnie scoff, lowering her hat to her chest woefully. “Are you sure?” Maddie demanded, carefully unfolding the young man’s arms to further inspect the damage done.

She shrugged off her pack fishing out the vodka just to clean her hands before touching the area, out of risk for herself and the corpse. “We’re sure.” Haylen spoke, voice wavering. Upon receiving her response the general looked up at her, an eyebrow cocked up. “Tommy and I had been doing rounds near Boston Airport… We were taken by surprise. He threw himself in front of me, I…” She lowered her head apologetically. “General, I failed.”

Hancock shook his head beating her to the punchline. “Nah, the kid had guts. Bein’ a minuteman is about protecting the commonwealth, he was your brother in arms. Wouldn’t you have done the same?” Haylen nodded without hesitation, adding much tenderly, “He was the age of my brother… The knight that did it, he wasn’t gonna attack. He saw me. Then realized my outfit and then just… On sight. They’re trying to terminate us. The minutemen.”

Preston, who had been standing by gravely awaiting his general’s assistance, met her eyes. “I think it’s time we dealt with them.” But, she wasn’t sure if she was gonna be ready for more bloodshed. Sure, she knew it was gonna have to come sooner of later, but, she really wasn’t ready for another fight. “Yes.” She sighed despairingly, standing up slowly. The movement caused the blood to rush to her head at once, she stumbled to the side and would have hit the ground at full weight had it not been for the ghoul catching her under the arms.

Exhaustion, he realized. She was exuberating all her energy into the trip here, she had been overworking herself for the past few months. “I think ya need rest.” Hancock’s voice was soft in her ear for only her to hear. She saw the alarm written in Preston’s eyes, but she avoided both. “I’m fine.” She grumbled, looking to Preston, but speaking to both men. “I’ll devise a plan, and we strike. Haylen,” The mousy haired woman looked at her when acknowledged with something like perplex disarray written in her tragic eyes, “A word in my quarters.” She turned to John saying, “Wait here.”

Sitting the two of them on her navy bedspread, she took both of the scribe’s hands in her own. She stared at them trying to focus her eyes on something once her stomach started rushing into the throws of kickboxing. She swallowed down the bile and the overproduction of spit. “General..? Are you okay?” Haylen asked softly, watching her eyes turn glassy, reading the green on her face. “Fine.” She bit out sharply through her teeth, inhaling once to keep the puke settled at the bottom of her stomach.

“Look.” She began finally, exhaling shakily. “I won’t ask you to turn against your people. I know it’s hard, I don’t want to push you to this…”

“You are my people now.” Said the minuteman, but her eyes expressed it so much differently.

“No,” Maddie began, keeping her contact. “The brotherhood has been all you’ve known. If you’re not ready, I won’t dare ask you to do this, even if you swear you’re okay with it. I’ll send you off premises, keep you out of the line of fire.” Haylen took in a slow breath to steady the tears of hesitation. “It’s a lot to think about.” She countered under her breath. Knotting her fingers through Maddie’s, she stared with piercing eyes, “I’ll do it. I’m ready, they turned on Danse. They killed Tommy, looked him dead in the eyes and…” Her words trailed off, throat tightening around the ball in her throat.  
  
Maddie didn’t need clarification, because she fully understood. It was hard watching your partner fall to the merciless upbringing of war. Something told her this was this woman’s first time seeing death first hand, despite the scare with Rhys back when they first met. She swallowed at the memory remembering how brave Danse had been to fend off the feral overwhelming them. Sure, he could have handled them, but he was down two team members, had she not come along they probably would’ve been too damn broken to get back up.

The general hugged her then, letting the woman cry on her. She stroked her hair feeling the trembling woman crumbling like tetris blocks all over her lap. Breathing heavily, she was trying to run from her wounds by talking herself up, telling herself she was better than this. A broken woman losing it on her general. “This isn’t something a soldier does.” She hiccupped, shaking her head dismissively. “I’m sorry.”

Maddie wanted to smack her. “A soldier is someone who keeps going despite the hardships, it’s winning the battle against yourself, not what people tell you. Make of you. It’s what you decide to become, fending off every bad thing.” She cupped her chin, tilting her eyes to look at her. From going about thirty, Haylen looked like a teenager who just got dumped by her boyfriend looking for answers, a solace from someone wiser. Maddie sighed sadly, “A soldier falls apart. You’re strong. Tommy didn’t die in vain, we’ll handle this. Together.”

“I…” Haylen began, standing to her feet shakily not wanting to feel condensed into a building block inside a toy chest. “Think I need to go and be alone for a while, ya know?” Understanding, Maddie hugged her a final time. It was so heartwarmingly tight Haylen almost cried again. To have a leader who didn’t berate her when she felt devastation, but to be so compassionate, was so surreal. She was mourning openly for the young warrior just as much as she was. Haylen wondered, in that moment walking out of her quarters, if she’d ever see the brotherhood in the same perilous eyes she once had.

The general sunk down to the bed curling her fingers around the edge of it hiding under the dark curtain of curls. She was measuring each breath, inhaling for ten seconds, exhaling for seven. Her stomach was flipping over on itself with puke coloring the insides of her mouth. Hancock walked back in seeing Haylen pass by him squarely, so he figured he was safe to come in. “Everything all right?” Concern laced his tone finding Maddie doubled over where she sat with a bucket between her legs.

He held her bangs back when she lost her stomach with a riveting belch. He didn’t understand what was going on with her. Every day it was like it was worse. She’d crave food, but couldn’t ever stomach it. So the fact she had an appetite was… Well, it was something. “I think I musta caught something.” She explained, leaning into him with all her weight balanced on his side. “What gave it away?” He shot back, threading his fingers through her curls smelling the musk of dirt in them.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but hugged his neck working her way to sitting in his lap, legs thrown across them. He held her there, chin resting on her head. “‘M worried about ya, kid.” John muttered uneasily. “Not to be that ghoul but how are ya plannin’ on takin’ on the Brotherhood if you can’t even stand up without pukin’ for five minutes?” He felt her shrug. She didn’t trust herself to talk without losing it again, so she just sat there until she wretched again.

In the middle of a crisp fall, Maddie surrounded their makeshift cemetery behind the diner with the Groover family standing on either side as Hancock, Preston, and his elder brother lowered the wooden crate into the ground. She almost couldn’t stomach the pitiful cries of his mother sobbing on her brother’s chest hiding his face away. The general put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly because she was a mother, and understood the fact no mom should have to bury their child so early.

She expected a glare when her russet eyes peeked up like someone had poured hot sauce in her eyes. War wasn’t ever easy. “I’m sorry.” Her inflection laced with obscured meek apologies. Whether she believed it or not she wasn’t sure. At the end of the day her men’s deaths fell on her shoulders with a burden as heavy as boulders. She broke her gaze from the grieving woman bypassing the crowd of men dashing rubble and soil on top of the body.

The Prydwen floated so goddamn smugly, so close. She could feel the eyes of the spying men on her. Narrowing her eyes, she broke away from the group with a furious tear shouldering past everyone. Hancock looked up from where he knelt, hat lowered like everyone else’s, to watch her retreating figure in mild confusion. The general went to her quarters unrolling the infamous map circling each settlement the brotherhood were inhabiting. She tucked her hair up under her hair angrily scribbling down coordinates, planning a hate fueled attack.

She knew she had to be diplomatic about this. Knuckles dragging on her desk when she leaned on it, she bit the corner of her lower lip in thought. “Artillery.” She muttered as if forgetting about the canons they built when the minutemen inhabited the place. Throwing down more paper she began to scribble each close settlement. If she could just get them to the right direction, the giant blimp would just burst, she thought with such excitement.

Hancock’s hand was on hers firmly stopping her mid scribble. She shot her eyes up to his face in alarm pretending that alone didn’t make her wanna puke. His expression was mild, jaw squared when he caught hold of the mess. “What’re ya doin’, Maddie?” He asked cautiously, skidding the paper beneath her white fingers. He inspected it, eyes going to the map. “Do ya really think ya wanna be plannin’ somethin’ like this right now in this state?”

She scowled at him ripping the paper back gritting out between her teeth, “If not now, then when?” The mayor shrugged in agreement. He shuffled to the side of her desk watching her in silence, piecing together her planogram. Her eyes were intensely figuring out equations in her head, scribbling down proportions, fractions… Hancock’s head kind of hurt looking at it. “If we just. Artillery.” She pieced together in broken little sentences, her breathing gaining speed with her excitement.

He chuckled at her, a smirk quirking up in amusement. “Artillery. ‘M followin’.” She blinked a few times in confusion her eyebrows pulling together skeptically. “What?” She asked, breaking her concentration. “Just repeatin’ what ya said. Ya think you’d get enough firepower to take that place down?”

“Um.” She scrunched her nose in that adorable way she always did when she was confused. She scratched the side of her head with a finger muttering, “It should. Thinkin’ Sturges could help.”

“Your guess is better than mine.” She was silent once more with only the harsh sizzling of the pen scraping against the paper beneath her. Hancock’s obsidian eyes flickered from her hands busy at work to her expression. There was a vein popping out of her temples, teeth slamming together audibly every time she got stumped and halted harshly. He loved how thoughtful she was, as much as she was impulsive. She worked best under pressure, her wit quick as her triggerfinger. A crease formed between her eyebrows staring at the map like it was her worst enemy.

He tread over to rub her shoulders writhing the tension out with the balls of his palms. She exhaled heavy enough for her body to slump forward more, head bowed. Her curls slipped out of the front of her hat defeatedly. “I need them gone.” Maddie whispered spitefully, spitting their name passionately, “The brotherhood has taken my last man.”

“I know it’s hard, love.” Hancock sympathised, standing at her side, but keeping a grounding hand on her shoulder when he turned her head to look at him. She stood straighter chuckling in disbelief, “On sight… Haylen said they recognized her. Saw who she was through and through. Had orders to kill her on sight, there was no hesitation…” Her voice faded off not wanting to finish her thoughts. She might become ravenous and take them down one by one like she wanted to truly.

His rough fingers found their way around hers tugging her into his chest comfortingly. He was so warm against her chilly interior. “We’ll get back at those bastards.” His voice was gravel and it rumbled in her ear like a truck engine racing down a track. “We’ll take ‘em out. We’ll make ‘em pay.”

The two lovers remained embraced, Maddie digging her face into his chest dejectedly. She fisted his shirt fighting off the powerful negativity creeping through her. She had to watch a mother bury her child at the hands of the brotherhood. She buried so many at the feet of the institute, bloodshed was all around her, on her, staining her skin crimson-

“Hey.” Hancock’s tone was alarmed, and it was then she realized she was having trouble breathing. He could feel her heart pounding out of her rib cage like it was knocking on his chest to try to get inside. “Maddie, listen to me.” His voice sounded so distant to her ears, because she was still staring into the eyes of an innocent woman, an innocent child. Millions of brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, _people_. She was losing control, she wasn’t supposed to bring anyone else into her fight, now the whole commonwealth was crumbling under her own weight.

She wanted to fight right here and now, wanted to make the Brotherhood fall to their knees at her very mercy. She wanted to make them beg, just like Danse had pleaded with his heart in his hands. Her nails dug into the sleeve of Hancock’s arms when he reached for her, recognizing the pits of hell burning in her eyes. “Maddie.” He shook her a little, tapping her face to get her to focus. “Listen, executioner. I know it’s hard, but you’re gonna have to wait.”

“ _Fuck me_.” She demanded.

His eyes widened a range of dumbfound running across his face. Had she not just been having a panic attack? “Are ya sure-” He was cut off by her gripping his face her eyes narrowed, “Fuck. Me.” Oh, stress sex. Angry sex. Sure, he could be with it. “Remember our safe word?” He asked, already throwing her hat and undoing her uniform. “Apples.” She murmured, smothering his mouth with hers before he could even reply.

Like always, he rebounded right back against her body like a boomerang. Gripping her by the throat he drew a thumb along her lips marveling at the soft plush feeling. It was the only gentle thing on her when they fucked like this. She slipped his thumb into his mouth while he took his time freeing her pants to her ankles. She pulled off of it with a soft pop her voice so sultry with want, “Please, daddy.”

“Ya know hearin’ you beg gets me off.” He growled, diving down to bite her neck like a vampire. She whined in both pain in pleasure, her hands throwing his jacket off before he could grab for her dainty hips. He bucked her against her desk sending her flailing backwards, breasts almost popping out of the restraint of her bra. John marveled her over with her body so toned and pale despite her playing outside in the radiated outside.

She ripped his shirt open sending buttons flying, usually he’d be pissed by it but her sweet warmth was calling out to him right now, begging to be pounded and filled with his very lustrous desires. He threw off his sash stuffing it into her mouth just wanting to see her pretty lips pout over the American flag like a degenerate. His fingers dipped under the thin fabric of her panties, stretching it as if he’d release her pretty little legs free of them.

Her hips rolled before he could even get them down her pretty thighs. “Look at you, princess.” He chided, drawing a fingertip over the wet spot in the fabric of them. He felt the stubble poking free of the pores in them, her hips jerking a little when he finally touched her tingles. He was gonna draw this out in the most devastating way, and fuck, she was so ready. Rubbing her through her panties he knelt down between her legs gazing up at her like a lion assessing its prey.

She felt like prime rib under his gaze and fuck, was she ready to be eaten. He kissed along the inside of her thighs dragging his tongue along her sensitive skin, leaving behind a trail of chills when the fall air got to them. She reacted with an impatient moan over the rag and fuck, did it make his cock twitch in his pants. She gripped the back of her desk loving how he was toying with her like that’s all she was, his perfect little doll. There was nothing better than seeing her unravel just like this.

With his free hand he undid his pants like it was nothing stroking himself to the sounds she made. His tongue drew an x over her need, marking the spot he really wanted. Only thing stopping him was this thin piece of cotton. Not willing to wait he wrenched it off ripping it at the seams a little. Maddie jolted the moment his lips were around her clit, kneading it with the tip of his tongue. She muffled a gasp feeling him already working her in her favorite way. Her mind went blank of all her stresses the more his tongue danced on her.

He licked from mound to entrance flicking his tongue along the rings of it. “Please!” She muffled over the sash, hands going to grab at his head. “Oh no, little one.” He yanked her hands back pinning them right down to the table. “I’m in control. Ya dig, kitten?” No was such a dirty word to her right now, she wanted him to hurt her the best way he knew how. She simply nodded. “Good girl.” He praised, diving back down to eat her out like the pro he was.

He knew her body better than herself sometimes, and when his hot tongue fucked in and out of her like that she fell apart. Being held down was such a vivid kink it made fire prickles up along her skin. She wanted to touch him, she needed it. She felt her orgasm coming quicker than a fireball towards earth. Hearing her high pitched whines he pulled back standing at full length. Maddie groaned in aggravation being right there on the tip of the cliff.

Hancock chuckled seeing the wanton look of lust written all over her flushed body. He searched around, nibbling on the inside of his lip. He disappeared into her wardrobe a moment leaving her all hot and bothered. He was surprised to see her exactly the way he left her. “Ain’t ya such a good girl…” He breathed, kissing her jaw. He bound her arms above her with stray rope he found, and fuck, did Maddie wanna cum just from that. Hancock was gonna make sure she got out every sense of anger in her tonight.

He spread her legs rubbing the tip of his length against her dripping warmth feeling her bundle of nerves pulsing right up against the underside of it. Her thighs quivered at the sight of his broad cock, mouth watering remembering how good it felt to choke on it. “Ya want it?” He purred, tugging the sash down enough for her to speak. “Please.” Her voice was a wrecked trembling whimper.

“I wanna hear you say it.”

“Fuck me with your cock, daddy. Please.”

And so he did.

He pushed her legs up by her head filling her tight heat in one swift motion replacing the gag at once to snuff her yell. He stroked in balls deep at once filling her just the way she liked it. “Look how beautiful you are, all exposed for daddy... “ He licked up her chest taking in one of her nipples thrusting in and out of her at a pace for her to adjust. After all, he was a gentleman. Her walls hugged his cock milking it in only the way she could.

He loved the disgusting suction sounds her little snatch made when his shaft moved. It was probably the most disgusting thing, but it got him off. In relation to her pretty sounds, sex was nothing short of a religious experiment with her. Maddie’s back arched with each shove in yanking out every bitter emotion inside her. She needed it harder, she wanted to be used like a bitch right now. She shoved back on him when he pulled out. It was rough enough for him to slide back some.

“You tryna tell daddy you want it harder?” He chuckled in amusement. She nodded quickly tilting her head back with an agitated groan. He held the underside of her thighs putting all his power into his hips, pounding into her without abandon then.

The assault was so fucking deep and savage it could probably break her. But she wasn’t complaining at all bringing her bound hands to rest on his abdomen as he pounded her pretty little box. “Daddy!” She yelled, drool leaking out of the corner of her mouth. She was the most gorgeous mess with her chin glistening with spit, perky breasts bouncing with each shove of his cock inside of her.

He yanked out of her removing the sash, gripping her by the throat. “You’re gonna sit on daddy’s face, let me taste you.” He commanded, licking up her spit broadly. He shoved his tongue into her mouth kissing with nothing but tongue and teeth setting her sexual spiral out of control. He lay back on the bed by the pillows so she could grip onto the headboard just in case. She straddled his face and he dug in like she was the best damn thing he ever tasted.

“Fuck, _John_!” She keened rolling her hips down against his skillful mouth. She bit the inside of her arm until she was panting, her body begging for breath in the best way possible. His tongue lapped at her sore little cherry until she sobbed in pleasure. She came so hard she fell forward with her cheek on the wall, bound hands gripping at the pillows behind her lover’s head. His cock was aching for relief, to be touched again.

Hancock picked her up in one fluid movement guiding her, “Put your arms around my neck.” She did as she was told, legs going around his waist automatically. Meeting his eyes when he slammed back into her, making a mess on the floor by slamming into her wetness. She clung to him afraid she’d slip with how much he was sending her body into overdrive. She could finally touch him, feel him against her. His cock was so rugged and rubbed her in whole new unique places.

No one would ever contest with him, she’d never ever ever tire of the magic things his dick could do. “How does it feel?” He growled in her ear. “Being used like this, huh?”

“It’s amazing.” She gritted out breathlessly. “I want you to cum in me, make me a mess.”

“Oh, but kitten…” He chuckled, a bare eyebrow cocked up at her with a dirty smirk on his face. “You’re already a mess. All for daddy.”

She nodded in agreement almost groaning in relief when he braced her on the wall instead of tiring himself out by carrying her petite body. “And who’s daddy’s good girl?”

“I am.” She yelled, yelping when he slammed up into her impaling her on his cock.

His hand was around her throat loving the artistic differences in skin tones, smooth against rough, marble on rugged rock. “Whos’ gonna take all of daddy’s cum?”

Panting, she whimpered, “Me.”

“You’ve been such a good girl for me…” He chided, licking along her neck tasting her sweat. “Beg for my cum.”

“Please cum in me.”

“Better than that, Maddie.”

“I want your cum in me.”

He smacked her ass, eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. “Tell me.”

She swallowed, not used to being so open with him like this, but fuck, she loved it so much. “Fill me with your cum, daddy. Make me your little cock slut.”

“That’s better.” He moved once, twice, again, and came in such thick ropes he thought his soul slipped right out with him. The sadistic part of Maddie was grinning, because she knew she had him by the balls. He’d never fuck anyone and be satisfied unless it was her. But same went with him. The general felt a whole new sensation rolling through her. There was a tidal wave rolling from her head to her stomach, exploding between her legs so hard it made Hancock’s length slip right out from how much resistance there was.

She squirted out around him the moment his swollen head was free and she dug her nails into the back of his neck throwing her head on his shoulder, mouth agate in a silent scream. The ghoul’s eyebrows rose immediately feeling her legs tense and cramp around him, coating his cock in her fiery pits of passion. “Did you just..?”

She was blushing from embarrassment trying to catch her breath whispering, “That’s never happened before…” Hancock drew his fingers along her accumulating wetness, curling his fingers up inside her. She was quivering everywhere her walls beaten to a sensitive pulp, still riding his fingers as he helped to ride out her orgasm.

All of her strength went with her the moment she finished. He carried her to the bed laying her on it, undoing her wrist binds. He kissed her sweetly the moment her whiskey eyes turned on him with the soft blur of post orgasm and unrequited love. He helped clean himself, then her before he crawled in next to her lighting a cigarette. She lay right on top of him, cheek on his chest. He drew an arm around her, using his other hand to puff on the cigarette relishing in the afterglow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated note: my real life has taken a turn. Not to get too personal but a really really close friend of mine ended his life. Not gonna lie and say it’s just the beginning of tough days to come. I’ll try to get updates out. I haven’t had the energy to even get out of bed, and reaching that creative muse is gonna be far away for now. 
> 
> I’m sorry if I’m upsetting anyone with this news at all, I’m not giving up just yet. I come home from work and sleep, my energy is really just low. It’s something I never thought I’d have to worry about so soon. I’m sorry to anyone who was looking forward to these urgent updates and whatnot. Please be patient with me during this time.


	34. Chapter 34

Maddie wasn’t the kind of person to enjoy heat. So with October coming around and the temperatures dropping, she found herself outside more often than not. Halloween had been her favorite holiday back when people celebrated it once a year. These days, she saw more costumed freak than she ever had at a walk through haunted house with Nate. The skies above were clustered with clouds over the full moon. The general lay in the middle of the castle courtyard, arm tucked under her head marveling at the galactic glamor above when the clouds subsided enough.

It was a subtle homegrown comfort she got to still enjoy even in the war torn ambience of New England. Sure, the world ended, but the sun still rose, the moon still set in the mornings. Sure, that was comforting, she supposed. Everything was wary with wear from years of disregard, crumbling into pebbles with any quake of a disturbance. It’s a wonder the whole damn castle they were surrounded by hadn’t collapsed under the weight of everything, all the columbine blasts of turrets, cannons, hell, surviving the institute’s ambush.

Hancock leaned on the wall nearby, watching Maddie instead. Something was very off about her, and he began to worry she had more radiation in her system than he let on. He’d checked her pipboy just the other night when she put it on for the first time in forever and saw little to nothing wrong. Except for one thing… Her heart rate was outrageous. He figured the old thing needed a tune up of some sort.

“Hey.” His voice cut through the serene reticence. She sat up at her waist, midnight curls falling over her shoulder.

Her pale skin always looked so good being kissed by the candlelight of the moon. It made her dark eyes glisten like diamonds dragging him in by the tail of his coat. “Hi.” Her voice was the lustrous sinful purr he’d come to love, but it wasn’t gonna charm him like it had the past several days. If they weren’t fucking, or fighting, or eating… Well, she was just.

Hormonal.

“Ya feelin’ alright?” He shoved his shoulders off the wall boot buckles clanking, soil munching beneath his footsteps to join her.

“Peachy.” Came her hotshot reply, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” Maddie teased, lacing their fingers together with a happy little, “Hmmm.”

“Well, ya kinda been drivin’ me crazy. Which ain’t all bad, exactly.”

“You signed up for this.” She said with a quiet giggle. “Don’t blame me. You asked me to marry you.”

“And I still wouldn’t change my mind. No matter how nuts ya turn on me.” He looked up to see the stars concealed by swarms of rolling showers.

“John?” Maddie’s knockout peruse lingered on his face the moment he took her in.

“What’s up? Somethin’ on your mind?”

She shrugged nonchalantly bringing her knees up to her chest comfortably, “Do you remember who gave you that radiation drug?”

Something about the question threw him off. “‘Course. Can’t see why it’d matter though.”

“‘M just curious.” She replied after a long moment as if she were debating on anything at all. “You said it was only one of its kind or somethin’ like that.” Truthfully, she was recalling meeting Lorenzo, wondering if he’d doomed him to this whole immortal life. Maybe doomed was the wrong word to use… Her eyebrows furrowed, and he grinned when her nose scrunched up in confusion.

“It had been, yeah.” Hancock shuffled around unsheathing his shotgun to keep the butt from digging into his side, lying it across his lap. “His name was Doctor Sebastian. Weirdest guy I’d ever met, but, very smart. He was honestly more terrifying than queer. But hell, at the time, I was getting high off any drug I could find and that seemed to interest him more than anything.”

The general sucked in the inside of her cheek, nibbling on the stray bits of skin purely out of habit. “So he just so happened to find you?”

“Somethin’ like that. This guy was some sort of mad scientist. He’d strung into Goodneighbor with these two ghouls. Measles and Mumps,” He chuckled, “Measles and Belle,” The ghoul corrected looking back to the sky, eyes narrowed in concentration, “as I can remember. The night was pretty hazy from the get go. Wasn’t expecting to find somethin’ like this. He came from some reservation in DC, but what was the most fuckin’ wildest thing is, the two ghouls he had with them were born.”

“Born?” She gasped, her heart jumping into her throat anxiously. “You mean created or something? Some term?”

Hancock noticed the alarm in her tone, smirking deviously, “Nah, sunshine. Born from the womb, darlin’.”

It were little moments like these she seeked out the most. Sure, it was great getting to travel with him and learn his battle tactics, watch him take down any foe with an angry slice of a knife, but it was like she couldn’t possibly learn enough about him. Plus, his voice was a husky purr that echoed in her whole being. Anytime he breathed, blew smoke in the air, her body vibrated in return like a signal.

“How is that possible?” She mused, also seething with something like jealousy. She felt fucking guilty the moment the anger blew across her mind like the rapture of storms coming in from the Ease. Ghouls could procreate, but she couldn’t? “Daisy told me ghouls were sterile.”

“They are. Through extensive research and experimentation, they concluded that the smoothskins, as he put it,” He sneered at the derogatory term with such disdain, “would have to serve as catalysts of some sort for any ghoul procreation process. From then on, Dr. Sebastian made it his life’s mission to find a successful and repeatable way to procreate ghouls. Sebastian will stop at nothing to find a solution to the ghoul procreation dilemma, and he will go through every human until none remain, if that is what it takes.” His voice was soberly husky, drawing an arm around her protectively feeling her sudden anxiousness.

“Remember those two ghouls he came into town with?” He asked, looking down at her with a bare eyebrow raised from beneath the tipped shadow of his hat.

Maddie blinked, nodding slowly with an uncertain, “Yeah?”

“Measles was his first attempt at birthing a ghoul. He had some human traits, but still appeared as any other radiated bitten bastard like me.” He drew out a pack of cigarettes flipping the top open with his thumb inhaling the cancer stick with his mouth. He offered her one, which she turned down with just a simple shake of her head. The dimly lit flame from his lighter lit up his face casting hues of gold across his scarred face. “Then came Belle, even I was smitten. Which is how I ended up getting my hands on this chem.”

He was watching the minutemen switching out posts for the night, but seeing an entirely different scene in front of him. The mentats burned in the back of his throat in combination from the nicotine. “Belle is unusually attractive for a ghoul. In fact, if it weren't for her lesions and symmetrically exposed bone, she would look like a pretty, pale, human woman. Had curves for days, and such a pretty face to match. Now, I was human at the time throwing back drinks with the rest…”

_It was an average night for a drifter like himself stuck in the Third Rail. Hancock, still known as John McDonough then, had been tipping back drinks, slewing chems left and right until he felt like a stranger in his own body. Then came her, Belle. Swung in like she was the actual Belle of the party, it fit her exquisitely. She wasn’t alone, but with the most frightening looking ghoul John had ever seen._

_Her eyes were as blue as sapphires, with a head full of thick hair despite the obvious bones protruding from her thin figure. When she felt his gaze, she looked with a full blown smirk from her pretty plush lips. Now, back in his prime, he still had been one fine man to gawk at. He kept his hair short, he was clean shaven despite having a lack of hygiene products given his drifter resistance. The man behind her noticed her gaze and followed it right to him._

_John was just as naive as a child with the alcohol pumping through his veins like adrenaline. “Hi.” Her voice was satin and silk running against his sun kissed skin, her round eyes assessing him like some test tube experiment. “Hey there, beautiful.” His voice wasn’t the rasp it was now, he didn’t smoke too much then. Not cigarettes, at least. The words made her tingle, never surpassing her lust for human men._

_She was a siren in the sea, but walking on land. Sebastian was close behind her, and the ideas in his head were brilliant. John had the perfect face shape, perfect fit body he was looking for. All his other experiments had failed, dying from the radiation poisoning, turning feral upon the second time, or having little to no effects at all. “Mind if I quench your thirst?” John chuckled, seeing her eying him with something like envy._

_“By all means.” Belle replied. “My name is Belle.”_

_“John.”_

_The two continued to drink throughout the night. He was too gone to realize the ghoul woman wasn’t really chugging them back, just dumping it on the piss blown floor beside her. She kept turning between Sebastian and himself. She’d whisper something, then he’d look at the human with some kind of perverted interest. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private, huh? Think my master wants to show you something.”_

_Like a fool, he followed her like shadowing death to the underworld._

Coming back to himself in the present, he shook his head with a purse of his thin lips. “I don’t regret it, becomin’ what I am. Hell, I was glad to not look at that selfish bastard I became. I knew what it would do, obviously. I was kind of hoping it’d kill me faster. My flesh started peeling, ligaments fallin’ off one by one. Clumps of hair pushed out by my closed pores, until I turned to this.” He held his arms out, leaning back on them when he dropped them to his sides. “I never saw him after that. Measles kept watch over our tent that night.”

He grew quiet, not wanting to read her expression just in case she was judging him. She was far from someone to do that, he knew that by now. Maddie’s fingers laced with his, resting her chin on his shoulder staring up at the side of his face. He was distracted by the crescent moon above cutting through the bundles of clouds. It were the little conversations that went such a long long way. She wanted to know his every in and out, wanted to hear his stories. “Ya think there’d ever be a possibility for us?” She asked cautiously, tiptoeing the subject.

Hancock turned reading her expression, his bare eyebrows shooting up. “Whatcha mean, love?”

She shrugged, turning her eyes past him to the soil she crumbled and tumbled in her free hand.

He caught the shy flush on her cheeks, and he caught on pretty vividly. “A baby?”

She nodded, mumbling with her gaze still anywhere but his face, “I… Yeah.” She sighed dejectedly. “I’m not gonna lie and say I haven’t been thinking about it. I liked the idea of Shaun, you, I… A perfect dysfunctional family.”

Fatherhood wasn’t something someone like him really thought about too much. As far as he knew, he was safe from any sort of accidents like that. Accidentally knocking up the wrong person or something. He wasn’t the fathering type, he was hardly the politician he somehow swung himself into. He didn’t know what to say to that. It was in that moment he realized Maddie was measuring his expression with one mirroring the anxieties in his head. “If you don’t wanna- I’d rather you be honest.” She whispered disheartedly.

“Nothin’ like that, sunshine.” He assured her, toying with the ring on her finger. “‘S… It’s one thing for you to accept me as your husband, somehow love someone with an ugly mug like myself.” He chuckled, meeting her eyes with a sort of reverence. “But to start a family with some junkie like myself, ya really wanna damn a kid to havin’ a parent like that?”

“I’d think you’d make a good one.” She said, cupping his cheek with the tenderness of her calloused palms from welding and building, and being a hero. She sank her lips against his sobering him up some. That always happened, when he didn’t ever think he’d ever be good enough, she was a grounding assurance that he was doing somethin’ right. “But if… You’re not ready-”

“I don’t think I’d ever be.”

“I’m not gonna push you.” She finished, brushing the back of her fingers along his ruined face. The way she stared at him was like hearing angels sing. They were always so damn welcoming, full of wonder despite all her losses of her old life. She was thrown to the wolves in this fucking hell of a new world. “Just… You really might wanna think about it.” She used his shoulder to stand up, stretching her arms above her with a satisfied groan. “You want somethin’ to eat?”

You really might wanna think about it. Hancock replayed her words, wondering what kind of significance that played in the conversation. “You gonna cook?” He grinned then, exposing his mouthful of teeth, “Fuck yeah, ‘M always down.”

Maddie slipped out of the castle the following hours of the early morning. She was well done and exhausted, but not as intrigued as she was gaining the information about Hancock she had. The walk to Diamond City was such a familiarity to her that it became almost automatic. She recalled the moment she rescued Nick from that shitty little vault built in the subway. Her and Hancock standing right there. She avoided Swan, per usual. This whole world was gonna take some getting used to, almost two years and shit still managed to surprise her.

She clinked the rusted gate behind her entering Fenway Park not wanting to disturb the ambiance of a sleeping city. All the vendors were locked inside their homes sleeping peacefully, some partying outside like this was just a normal Friday night. Outside of the Dugout Inn, friends sat around the tables chattering while drinking a couple of beers. The outside world might have changed, but human habits hadn’t. She watched as couples danced to the songs on a radio, others playing darts like it was going out of the style.

A warm smile tugged on the corner of her lips when she reached Valentine’s agency. She was quiet, because she knew Elie would be asleep in the detective’s bed he had set up conveniently. He was sitting at his desk shuffling around papers. His gears buzzed when his neon optics settled on her. “So?” He pressed, head tilting. “Did ya find somethin’?”

Maddie settled herself before him placing her palms out on his desk nodding slowly. “Does the name Sebastian, Belle, or Measles sound familiar?” She threaded her fingers together trying to ignore the growing pains in her back. Ignoring the fact that it was Hancock’s child she was bearing. Tilting his hat up to get a better look at the raven haired woman, the eyebrow on the more humane appearing side shot up. “You meanin’ to tell me he got mixed up with them? Belle and Measles are the only two born ghouls. She can bear children. Ya think the doc gave him something other than just some radiation supplement?”

“I’m like six weeks pregnant, so, piece it together.” She bit back. “Sorry.” She quickly apologized, reaching over to take both his hands in hers.

She was sucking on her lower lip finding comfort when he gave fingers a refreshing compress. “It’s all right, doll. This is something entirely rare. Have ya told him?”

“Kind of.”

“What do you mean by _kind of_ , Madeleine?”

She groaned and threw her head down on his desk with her hair haloed around her. “I hinted. He’s not gonna believe me, I mean. Given Sebastian, and his obsession with human and ghoul reproduction, maybe. It’s just wondering if he’d stick around. He wasn’t too keen on the idea of being Shaun’s father.”

Valentine shook his head in disagreement. “He hasn’t ever had the opportunity. How did you feel when you first got knocked up?” Maddie couldn’t disagree, she wasn’t too entirely happy. Fresh out of school, at the prime of her law career, and she ended up knocked up by her husband who was fighting overseas for the majority of it.

“I wasn’t… Too pleased…” She measured, sitting her chin on top of the table instead. “I don’t know how I’m gonna measure having a child, a wedding, and dealing with the brotherhood all at once.”

His optics flashed dangerously, finding speckles of red in the gold boring into her head. “Don’t you think of fighting while you’re with child. Don’t be reckless.”

She shot up offhandedly, “You really think I’d be _that_ reckless?” She commanded, her eyebrows raised incredulously. “I feel like John wouldn’t even give me the option of lifting a finger if it concerned my safety and our child’s.” God, that was fucking weird.

Their child. Hancock. Her. A human. A ghoul. A man. A woman. Bringing a child into a world as cut throat as the qualms of war itself. She wanted to make it so much safer for the little life inside of her. Sure, prewar wasn’t any better considering murder, rape, raids were just as bad… It wasn’t too much different now. “How am I gonna raise a kid here?” She whispered intimately staring with her eyebrows pulled together in the middle at Nick. “I don’t know how I’d do it.”

“Learn.” Nick said gravely. “Adjust. Follow your motherly instincts.”

For the third time this week, Hancock was awoken by the bedroom door shutting around three AM. Maddie kept sneaking off and he wondered where she kept dipping out to. Did he think she was cheating? Nah, he had more trust in her than that. He waited for her to come back, watching the clock on her pip boy she left aside. It might be a while, so who’s to say he had to stay confined in one musky little room?

He trotted the lands of the castle, a place he’d gotten to know quite well when he stumbled upon a table set up adjacent from the frivolous crops the army had grown so lusciously. Preston, along with a few other no names he hadn’t yet been introduced to yet, sat around a table with playing cards. All of their expressions were set with something serious, but he could read the emotions in their eyes.

Poker faces.

And only one person besides him was a fuckin’ genius at it, and that was Preston. He was always stiff as a board, emotionless like paper. He couldn’t help himself from eavesdropping. “Never took you to be the gambler, Napoleon.” his voice intruded on the silent shuffle of cards leaning his shoulders back on the wall escaping the glare of the sun under his hat. Caught off guard he lowered his deck just enough for the bald man across to yell, “He’s got a full fuckin’ house!” A chorus of groans concluded after, each player throwing their deck down irritably. The ghoul laughed at that.

Garvey’s eyes narrowed at the ghoul who just smirked right back knowingly. “Rule one of poker,” He began nonchalantly kicking a chair to straddle it from behind. “Ya always gotta play your cards right, and uh.” He tipped his hat down with a gambler’s mindset, “Expect the unexpected.” He reached into his boot pulling out a pouch of caps with a delightful jingle. “Let’s play for keeps.”

He was all for a good gamble, and a fair game. Three out of the six men were now sitting out behind him, eyeballing his deck of cards. Preston at one end, Hancock at the other, and a minuteman on the far corner. Fluttering his charcoal eyes up at Preston, the man gave away nothing. John may be a ghoul but a damn perceptive one when it came to things like money, and being a cheat.

What could he say? He loved a good score. He was, after all, a scoundrel at heart.

However, he wasn’t expecting to be so drawn away when he heard the familiar footsteps of his lover. His stomach always curled in knots when she walked in a room, but this was _immensely_ different. He couldn’t put his fingers on it, but goddamn was she _beautiful_. He tried not to let it show on his face as much as it probably did when she looked at him with those golden hues as soft as honey, drenching him like his favorite bourbon. “Gotta hand it to you, mayor.” Preston chuckled, showing his hand so proudly it almost hurt the ghoul to turn him down, “Four of a kind.”

He heard the minutemen around him murmur, Maddie appraising the two men with a skeptically raised eyebrow. He never took his eyes off of her slamming his cards down with a muttered announcement of, “Straight flush.” He rose up from his chair ignoring the cries of astonishment from the men. His focus was on the glowing woman he called dibs on.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She laughed, sweet like syrup and so goddamn heartfelt it warmed him.

She had a hue around her, making her almost too goddamn glorious to touch. She was a messiah all her own, and he was a follower falling to his knees before her. “Like what, huh?” His hands gripped her hips obsessively pulling her closer against him as if to keep her captured under his shadow.

She was filling out, gaining weight. Her hips were thicker, ass rounder from what he could see. Her usual perky boobs were definitely more swollen, just enough for them to fall out of the top of her shirt almost.

She shook her head with a giggle hugging his neck, standing on her tiptoes to do so. She worried of exposing her swelling stomach to him, especially with him analyzing her like finding the holy grail. “You’re nuts.” She sighed, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “Were you really trying to beat Preston in poker?”

The ghoul grinned smugly, casting a glance over his shoulder to meet the fiery sneer from the second in command. “I didn’t beat him.” He concluded nonchalantly, “I mopped the floor with his ass.”

The couple laughed the moment Garvey threw himself up from his chair muttering, “Take your damned caps.” And stormed off, musket in hand once again.

“You really shouldn’t do that.” She remarked watching his retreating figure kicking up dust.

“Hey, had to show ‘im how ‘s done.” He kissed her cheek, looking at her once again. “Where’d ya sneak off too?”

The question made her fidget uncomfortably, something like shock flashed in her eyes before it was concealed again. “I went to see Nick.” She sighed after a long moment. “We’ve been following this case, and we had some evidence to share. I would’ve brought you, but…” She pondered over how suspicious he’d be of her. She hated lying. Not that she _was_ exactly, but he was ignorantly unaware of the facts she learned.

Sure, she couldn’t hide it forever, but figuring out how to word it to him was the hard part. “Didn’t wanna wake me?” He guessed, threading one of her navy curls around his finger.

She nodded, “Yeah. I’ll bring ya next time if ya wanna.” Something wasn’t sitting right with him about her description. She could see Nick whenever if she really wanted to. She didn’t have to go sneaking around him to do so.

“Three times in a week? At exactly three AM?” He inquired, his obsidian orbs taking a more offensive stare now.

Maddie tugged away some, reading his face. “There’s no one on the side if that’s what you’re trying to bite at here.” Her tone was serious, eyes narrowed at him.

“I know that,” He responded with a scowl. He trusted her fully knowing even in a world as fucked up as this, being frozen for over two hundred years and losing a husband the way she had, she wouldn’t go around trying to sneak off with someone else. Maddie also wore her heart on her sleeve and loved being a blunt son of a bitch.

He had nothin’ to worry about. “If ya got some errands to run, you can always talk to me about it so I’m not worryin’ while you’re roamin’ the wastes like some kinda gypsy.”

Guilt toiled in her stomach. If he was worrying about her just the way she was, well… He’d flip shit and actually kill her if he realized she was out scavenging the lands alone with his child in her womb. She averted her gaze pulling free of his muscular hold muttering a soft, “‘M sorry…” He wanted to fish her back the moment there was even an ounce of a centimeter of space between them. He learned to leave her when she was upset if she distanced herself like that.

He cupped her cheek instead murmuring, “It’s okay, love. You’re like me, ya can’t stand still.” Her face softened, a warm smile tugging on her lips some.

“Thank you for being so understanding…” She coiled their fingers together fighting off the uncertainty in her next quest. “I do… Have something to tell you.” She admitted with a heavy sigh. She was never good with big announcements like this, especially knowing how explosive Hancock was.

He became guarded with his whole body tensing like a coil before it sprung free three feet in the air. It didn’t help he mimicked her body language. You didn’t travel with someone for this long and not know their habits, good and bad. If her eyes didn’t give it away, her body sure as hell did. He read her right now, and there was nothing good to be coming of this. “Nick and I have been kind of… _Talking._ But about something… Unreal, actually.”

_I’m having your baby._

“ _And..?_ ” He pressed not liking how clammy his hands would have gotten if his pores weren’t clogged with scarred deceased skin. “What are you trying to tell me, Madeleine?”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. A defense siren rang out from one of her reactors. Both of them turned to see the fleets of vertibirds approaching. “Brotherhood.” She whispered dreadfully. Hancock threw himself between the danger, and the woman he loved. For now, the subject was dropped. “Everyone stand positions!” Maddie called, chin jutting up boldly. “It’s time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just because I like oversharing with you guys: We all know the stasis of which my life just so happens to be at. There's a lot of changes of goods and bads, so I lose myself in writing to get away. I'm so happy to have you guys enjoying this work of art like I am writing it, experimenting. I just hope that even when I feel like my best isn't exactly good enough you guys still love and support this as much as I try to. I'm so grateful for the views, comments, and kudos you guys give. Writing is my get away from everything, and I'm just happy to have the ability to keep up with it, update it, etc. Thank you guys a billion.


	35. Chapter 35

Ravaged by war, two factions battling for the Commonwealth aiming to protect it but in two very different ways. Minutemen believed in free choice, while the Brotherhood wanted to eliminate evil and the lives of radiated ghouls, supply a law. “ Alert. Alert. Brotherhood vertibirds converging on the Castle.” The radio shattered Maddie’s thought process.

They should know nothing good ever came from trying to gain control.

“Fire!” Maddie’s voice was a growl over the rain of gunfire and slams of power armor. Artillery whizzed and whirled facing the Prydwen. Going over the radio she shoved the radio man to cover him from the hail of gunfire and laser throws. “This is the general,” She called determinedly over Freedom radio. “Aim to the Prydwen and bring that motherfucker down.”

The moment the vertibirds touched down the whole land of New England violently shuttered, with a peaceful silence of both shock and morbid fascination settled over the two groups. Hancock stared with the most grandest, twisted sickly smile he’d ever shown his whole life. The reflection of the tumbling airship sailing down into the Boston harbor like a deflated balloon. Ronnie Shaw whistled, while the radio spread the news like wildfire, “Confirmed. The Prydwen is down... the Brotherhood threat to the Commonwealth is over.” A cheer spreading around the land, but the soldiers knew it was less than over.

Hancock hopped down from above the radio station, looking at Maddie with pride. “You know how to light up one hell of a barbecue. Brotherhood won't be cleansing anyone now.” The grave expression on his face told him there was much more to look forward to. The vertibirds curled like predators eying dead prey above the castle.

“Take cover and get ready for the fight of your lives! Time to finish the job on these sons-of-biscuit-eaters.” Ronnie growled through her teeth. Preston stared with something like fear in his eyes. He knew the Institute was strong, but this was a whole other battleground now. “Holy shit. Here they come.”

“Don’t get soft now, Garvey.” Hancock muttered crossly, eyes narrowing at him in warning. “Let’s finish this shit.”

The general disappeared behind the walls hoisting herself up into the power armor. She really hated wearing it, honestly. But she had to protect the baby inside her. She lost one already, she’d be goddamned to do it again. She saw Haylen braced behind a wall, clinging to the gun in her hands like it was her last saving grace. “Hey.” Maddie called over, the woman whipped around to face her with an apology in her eyes. “You don’t have to fight.” She reminded her gingerly.

The woman just swallowed breathing out anxiously, lowering her eyes to her feet. “I don’t have a choice.” She said. “You tell me not to fight. My heart, my mind says otherwise.” Maddie nodded stating, “Buckle down, soldier. It’s time to fight for everything we’ve worked for.”

The vault dweller slid herself out meeting Hancock’s measured expression when he saw her dressed in the fancy X-01 Power Armor she’d scavenged, replaced, and repaired. He whistled lowly, not bothering to hide the arousal at seeing his little ninja armored up to the teeth. “Ain’t ya a sight?” She rolled her eyes though he couldn’t see.

Then she saw Hancock holding a minigun. There was something so ferociously feral watching his lips expose his teeth in a crooked scowl, seeing him carrying something so savagely deadly with ease. She tried to pretend it didn’t turn her on. She had something else to focus on now. Brotherhood paladins quaked the ground when they dropped from the helicopters above, scribes scurrying like ants out of a mound to defend their territory. “Go!” Maddie snapped, her men spreading out.

Hancock stayed by her, though. Sure, she was armed and dangerous, but he wasn’t gonna let anything happen like last time. “You really think you can use that?” She asked playfully, plasma rifle in hand. There was something so welcoming seeing that infamous rifle in her giant hands, catching the grinds of war in its steel body. “Feels like home.” Hancock chuckled, adjusting it to grip it better. He bucked once when the gun warmed up sending millions and millions of rounds within seconds.

Bodies buckled and fell soaking the crops with blood and new minerals for their soil. Maddie sneered running headfirst into the crowd of Brotherhood enemies. She didn’t give a damn about the fame that came with her now. She didn’t give a damn about leaving behind a legacy, or surviving like some sort of celebrity. These people wanted control, to take what didn’t belong to them. People had the right to choose their own lives, love, family, friends. It was so much more than a vengeance run.

This was for freedom.

The general stomped up to sit up at one of the guard posts braced up on the remnants of the crumbled walls aiming her weapon for the vertibirds raining down on her men from above. She held her breath, nailing each one until the guns were turned on her. It was so hard to move he body so agile when this shit weighed over a few hundred pounds. Still, she had to guard the life inside of her. “Not so fast, bitches.” She breathed, kneeling down to aim right for the scribe’s head behind the minigun.

One. Two. _“Pew!_ ” That lifeless bastard dropped to the ground spreading his brains around like splattered paint. She didn’t focus on that long throwing plasma round after plasma round into the metal deathtrap. It was then she realized it was gonna take more to take it down. Maddie jerked her head around to call for Hancock, and like usual, he caught her thoughts just in time. He smirked, turning his gun up and just like that- it exploded like shooting pottery.

He nodded at her with a grin, knowing she was smiling back at him. Like he said before, you don’t run with someone for almost two years and don’t learn things about them. When it came to a fight, they were one in the same. She hopped down running to his aide, back to back, side to side. Hancock and Maddie. The way it was meant to be. “This might not be a good time to bring it up,” The ghoul grunted, eyes focused on the bodies falling just feet away.

Her poor turrets didn’t stand a chance against the weaponry of the brotherhood like she hoped. “What were you gonna tell me earlier?” Dread drenched in her, but she couldn’t pay to be distracted when Preston was knee deep in violence nearby. She pivoted to the left flanking the mayor’s East while sending piles of nuclear goo seeping into the ground. “I really don’t think this is a good time, honestly.” She began with an anxious whine in her chest. “Mostly because I really don't think you’d believe me if I told ya.”

There was a searing pain seeping up through his side, but he ignored it. He wasn’t bleeding yet, and still kicking. “You got a third nipple? Growin’ a third leg, a dick? Ya know that doesn’t bother me.” She heard the laughter under his breathless reply, but she shook her head. “Hancock.” She said seriously. “You’re gonna be a daddy, daddy.”

She took off in a sprint sailing the butt of her gun into the side of a brotherhood of steel soldier with a satisfying crunch, pressing the barrel to his temples like a gentle kiss. She ended his life with one final jerk of the trigger. She turned to see if Hancock had heard her, and there was something like disbelief written in his face. He was in a stand still in the middle of a riveting battlefield. She had told him that now wasn’t the time, and she meant it.

She threw herself in front of him in time to meet a blast from a missle. It tore a hole in the wall behind them sending them both flying in separate directions. She rolled out of the back of her power armor watching the dented heap laying with fluid leaking from the battery, arms and legs strewn. Fuck. She landed on her back feeling pressure rattling her whole being beating the breath from her lungs. She forced herself up with trembling arms hitching through the vice in her chest, vision blurred for a few moments.

Through the muddiness of her sight she saw a red dot flooding closer to her. She heard the familiar growl from her ghoul, and she softened some. It didn’t help she was vulnerable, and you didn’t wanna be caught off guard in this situation. “Hey, ya with me?” He gripped her shoulder too tightly for her liking, the worry laced in his voice. “‘M fine.” She wheezed, “Lost m’ breath.” He covered her for a moment, just enough for her to gain her footing. “Where’s my gun?” She gasped, seeing it near her destroyed helmet.

If John was hurt he was damn good at clouding it for her to not see. She couldn’t read his expression when she dashed slapping her hand on her weapon as if it’d be jerked from her within mere seconds. She rolled onto her back in time to see a familiar power armor approaching. “Rhys.” She groaned bucking up to her knees. She aimed for his head decking him a few times. Energy weapons were good to use against them, because their armor and outfits rebuked ballistic damage. If she could just get to the fusion core, fuck up the battery, it’d be a fair fight. Hancock seemed to think the same thing when he met her eyes, full of determination, but otherwise unreadable to her. “Ya got this?” Maddi replied with a nod. “Get to his battery. Fair fight, one on one.” She rushed out, dashing to the left when his laser pistol fired her way. “Nice try.” She mused through her teeth.

“You really think you’d stand a chance against me?” She chuckled to the man before her. “Danse trusted you. And you fuckin’ turned on him.” Rhys’s dark eyes narrowed at her seeing her in a haze of flames and pure fury. “He was a synth. He betrayed us, and so did you. I didn’t buy it, you were practically sucking his dick, we all know you knew.” He fired at her again which she easily dodged, eyes like a prancing lioness, golden eyes staring under the thick fields of green grass. And Rhys was her opponent.

“I did what was right.” She circled him trying to get him in the right position. From the corner of her view she could see Hancock braced with the minigun to fire. There. Now. Maddie smirked at him, a smug fucking gleam in her eyes. “Do it, John!”

Hancock nailed his armor until the fusion battery core was battered slipping out like it wasn’t built to even fit into it. The power armor popped open, and Rhys lost his footing. She was straddling him within a second with a knife in hand. “You fucked up, Rhys.” She seethed in a cold hiss, venom drenching her tone dripping onto the young man’s body. “The one who fucked up was you, Preston.” He bit back, knocking her arm in an attempt to make her lose her hold on the dagger in hand. “Not a chance.” She snarled, going right for the jugular. She was gonna unzip this motherfucker like a jacket.

He clenched her wrist when she sailed the point down, putting up one hell of a fight for her. She was smaller, and knew he had a good few pounds on her. But her determination was stronger. “You deserve this hell you have. You came to our land.” She hissed, pushing against his hand so much her arm was screaming for relief. “This land belongs to not a goddamn soul, you won’t take this from us. Not like you took Danse’s liberty. He bled for you!”

She sailed her left elbow into the side of his head rolling her wrist free. Rhys grunted in pain, but bucked her off like a fighting bull. She rolled onto her knees, fitting herself up to her feet within seconds. She dodged a hit from him, swinging her arm with the dagger in a graceful dance. Hancock waited, waited until the time was right. “That’s my woman you’re _fuckin’_ with.” His voice was powerful, full of rubble and huskiness that vibrated Maddie’s whole being. “You step away from her and my child, or so fuckin’ help me I’ll spread your guts for all your men to see.” He threatened. It was a promise, and she shuddered from the savage expression on his face.

Wait.

His child.

Maddie softened upon hearing his words, eyes widening some when Rhys’s head darted her way. “Ghouls and humans can’t procreate.” He scoffed. “She’s either lying, or you guys have some _disgusting_ experiments to explain.”

“Call it what you want,” Maddie purred, coming up closer with her hips swinging slowly. She had a stride, each step taken for a purpose. “But you came to the wrong place for hatred like that. He’s the father, and you’re a spineless cunt.” She slid the blade slowly along his neck getting off on the feeling of muscles tightening beneath the hold of the knife. She could feel him pushing back as he tried to swallow, tried to breathe. His blood beaded and spilled over like a mini waterfall whispering in his ear, “Ad victoriam, motherfucker.” She kicked him in the knees sending him forward his wound eating dirt, chin laying on the ground like a bear skin mat.

She met Hancock’s eyes breathing heavily. She couldn’t see anything more beautiful than him in the glow of war, his clothes soiled in dirt, in flesh, in gunpowder. “You got any idea how fucking gorgeous you are?” She breathed, taking in the sight of the valiant ghoul. A tyrant who made a name for himself, a home for people shunned away like him. A hero all his own. The ghoul snorted in amusement. “Did they hit ya nuts lose or somethin’?” He made his way over looking into her eyes, forgetting the bodies strewn across the way for miles and miles.

“Is it really mine?” He asked, the uncertainty creeping back in his tone. “The child? Or did ya see someone else?” Maddie frowned at the question murmuring, “This really isn’t the time for this discussion when blood is being spilled around us, Hancock.” He looked up seeing the fight thinning out among them. The vertibirds have since disappeared, but he was worried for her now. “You mean to tell me you’ve been _fighting_ while carrying a baby?”

"Kind of took you long enough." She muttered to herself, rolling her eyes. Whelp, there it is. The anger laced in his voice, eyes flaming with a black fury she actually flinched from. “I didn’t have a choice-” He cut her off with a snarl gripping her by her shirt, teeth bared with a hiss that made him seem impeccably feral in that moment. “Do you have any idea how fucking reckless that is?!” She narrowed her eyes at him shoving him back with a robust peevishness. “I didn’t have a choice! Why do you think I hid behind that ugly fucking _suit_?”

Outrage seeped from the pores that weren’t clogged, deciding on if he actually wanted to kill her, or just smack her around a little. A blast went off in the distance sparking both their attention drawing them back to the real world. He reloaded the minigun from the ammo in his jacket pocket, jaw squared up tensely. “John, wait,” She begged, cupping his face. “Don’t go running off into a fight like this. You’re gonna get yourself killed.”

“Better they kill me before I kill you.” He bit back, shouldering her out of the way. “Stay back. Don’t want you making anymore of a mess than you already have. I can’t believe you.”

She’d seen him in all shades of angry, but never had he been angry enough at her to physically put his hands on her, even if it was an empty threat. She saw the gates of hell when he looked at her, saw the criminal he could be. The man who murdered people with his palms and backstabbed his friends without a second guess. It petrified part of her, knowing it was always alive and well inside of him. She just didn’t think she’d be the one to bring it out of him. He wasn’t wrong, she knew how stupid it was to do that. To put herself in harm’s way, she could have easily lost another child. She had protection though. Hancock would _kill_ for her - _had_ destroyed countless people leaving a trail of bodies behind them for people to find. She sat back tending to the wounded, less casualties than she expected, but still enough to wound her.

Haylen came to her aide with red ringed eyes, her hands trembling the moment she had to stitch up an open wound. “Let me do it.” Maddie began. “You don’t wanna make matters worse.” She was comforting in the least, taking the threading from her. “Go and rest, love…” She looked at her as if she didn’t buy it, but didn’t fight off her directions in the least. She turned leaving Maddie alone with a few other medics.

Dusk approached, and she wasn’t even remotely close to feeling any better when the sounds of war died down to an uneasy silence. She watched for each person transported past the blown to fuck castle walls for any sign of Hancock. It didn’t make her feel any better or any worse when none of them were him. A few of the ghouls who’d joined showed up, and each time she caught sight of marred skin her anxiety skipped sky high. But they weren’t him, some of them with green eyes, others blues. They didn’t have his eyes.

She slipped out of the medbay to observe the scenes around them, finding bodies littered around. Proctor, Rhys, people she’d considered friends. Kneeling down before Ingram she slid her fingers under his holotags shakily. “Good lord above. Almost makes you feel sorry for those poor bastards.” Preston spoke unveiling himself from the small group he was a part of. Ronnie, Hancock, he, and someone else were mid conversation. She noted how Hancock angled his head so he could peer at her from the corner of his eyes. “I…” She didn’t trust herself to speak, because she did feel bad for them.

Ronnie broke from the group starting with such conviction, “They had it coming.” She stood next to Maddie giving her a cross glare, “Should've never tried to lord it over the Commonwealth. That never ends well.” Death had always been a part of life, she just hoped now, she could minimize the casualties. Institute and brotherhood were gone, none remained. “I gotta hand it to you, General. The old Minutemen could never have pulled off something like that. “ They were congratulating her. While she knew it had to be done…

She stood up on shaking feet feeling the crushing weight of the world she’d carried, slipping off. It was left now with only regret of having to betray everything she’d come to know with the Brotherhood of Steel. “They were friends.” Her voice came out in a wrecked hoarse whisper. “I hate it had to come to this. They were mislead, if… if only they had better _principles._ ”

“Hey, doll,” Spoke Nick’s familiar voice. It got louder the closer he got, “We gotta be the lawbringer sometimes. Even if it’s not by a law itself.” She turned to see the detective, and she threw herself at him without abandon. It was such a comfort feeling his hard body against her softer one, it wasn’t quite plush like Hancock’s and that was fine. “I came as soon as I heard the breaking news.” He explained. She bit off more than she could chew finding solace in his smooth Boston accent, glorious, and warm, like her father’s. “You okay?”

Maddie laughed, but it was dry, and meaningless. “I just wanna sleep.” She confessed, eyes burning from tears that didn’t surface. He gave a sympathetic nod. He was proud to see someone like her who took down every enemy she came across. Set up her pride, watched it crumble, and rebuilt it again. She sacrificed everything, for anyone, if it meant helping. Happiness. Selflessness. He cast a look over at Hancock who was leaning against the castle walls with a cigarette between his fingers. He’d told him everything he and Maddie could find from Doctor Sebastian.

He spelled it out for him like a toddler, but his rage was elsewhere. It was on Maddie for still going into battle, it was on the wariness of being a father, the unknown. Maddie pulled back then saying, “We gotta start cleaning up. We bury them with honor like they’re our own…” Her feet carried her to the bodies collecting each holotag, displaying them for when they had to mark their graves. She stopped when she came upon a young girl, no more than seventeen. “Oh no.” She mused sympathetically meeting those lifeless baby blues that stared up at nothing.

Hancock noticed her hesitation from where he remained from afar. He moved, just because he had a feeling she needed something. Someone. While he was still outrightly pissed at her for being so careless, he wasn’t gonna leave her to clean up the devastation alone. When he found her she flinched not expecting him to come to her at all. He frowned deeply, kicking himself for installing that fear in her. “She was a baby.” She expressed, sliding her eyelids closed with a bloodied finger.

Hancock caught her hand mid movement to bring her attention to him. She didn’t meet his eyes. “Maddie.” He was cautious in his attempt to lull her back to being comfortable with him. “Leave me be.” She responded, but not at all meaning it. He did as he was told, letting her roam the grounds for a little. Who was he to be a father? A junkie at most, at best, and a shitty politician. He wanted a family with her. He wanted a lot of things he never ever once expected, he deserved the right to be happy, correct?

Fatherhood. That was such a huge fuckin step. He recalled that little girl Maggie from sanctuary, how… Calmed, a part of him felt. To hear the rarity of kid’s laughing, to see the world as pleasantly and naive as her… To make a child with the woman he couldn’t live without. It explained a lot, the mood swings, from being horny to sad within seconds… He was so blind to it, and he was pretty observant when it came to her. Except for the obvious. “Ya doin’ alright?” Valentine quizzed, lighting a cigarette when he stood next to him. “Just wonderin’ how the fuck I’m gonna be a dad.” He confessed, keeping his eyes on the busy woman before him. “And how to apologize to Maddie for bein’ the biggest ass in the Commonwealth.”

The synth actually chuckled at him then. “I thought ya been holding that title.” The ghoul glared at him, though it was playful despite the tough subject at hand. “You guys love each other. She’s always wanted to be a mother, she had it ripped from her. I don’t need to be a detective to tell you the light in your face I see when it comes to you two having a life together like that.”

Maddie’s eyes found his from across the courtyard and his heart burned. The idea of anyone else’s arms around her waist, were those around his neck choking him to the point of no return. He had love to blame, love… Love. He smiled then, tiny and crooked. The alarm shone in her eyes, but she passed him an encouraging one in return. He had her, a real love, someone who saw him as he saw her. It was beautiful. This new patiently waiting game that lead them to one another to this whole new future.

He’d never let anyone see inside him like her, not once, not ever. He remembered watching those pretty eyes fill with tears and her wail, the one she screamed the day the courser took him down, but for the fancy soldier boy. It should have bothered him, but he wasn’t dumb.

In him, she saw Nate.

In him, she saw her old life of living with a war veteran, raising a child.

He understood why it hurt her this much. She wasn’t in love with Danse, but held him at such a high regard… He didn’t wanna admit how it all tied together in the end. It did, though. she made him feel so fucking high with just one blood soaked smile. How it felt when little Maggie was hugging his leg, and he thought, for a moment… They’d have a normal life. As normal as they could with the apocalypse, him being a ghoul, and having a child she saved from the Institute.

He’d wanted that. Hancock had never wanted something that grounding.

He wanted a family with her, to be the one she turned over to face with her sleepy smile every morning. It was little things he missed the absolute most. Her drunken smile when she had one too many on accident, just trying to unwind. How she sang old war hymns like they were gospel songs while stumbling all over Goodneighbor with him at her side.

He wanted to forget about the late nights when she’d wake him from a nightmare and take care of him. Hold his head there on her bosom and stroke his head with sweet little nothings. Sometimes, he’d smoke while she fell back asleep and he listened to her even breathing until he drifted off, or took in her beautiful face in morning light. The sun used to kiss her every morning before he did, and sometime he competed just so he could say he beat the sun to it. She was the sun to him.

She went to walk past him just for the sake of carrying a body to a stretcher and he stopped her, hand on her arm. “Hey.”

“Hi.” She muttered in reply.

He tugged her close, searching her over, making sure there wasn’t anything else wrong with her. Making sure he still had her right here right now. There was an intoxication in her smile… He missed it. He brought their lips together not caring of the carnage drenching the two of them, nah, he didn’t give a fuck. He seeked the adrenaline he got from her kiss, the comfort her little mewls brought him when he pulled back, a sign neither of them wanted it to end at all. He rested their foreheads together, tangling his fingers in her short hair, eyes fluttering to a close.

Neither spoke, just drinking in each other for a moment. He still had her, the ring still sat on her finger. She began to giggle then, catching him off guard. He looked at her with a bare eyebrow raised. “What’s funny?” She looked from his nostrils to his face, “I can’t rub my nose against yours because you don’t have one.” To his surprise he laughed too, wondering if she’d ever notice. She sighed after a moment to center herself. She stroked the back of her fingers along his cheek. He kissed her fingers, looking to her pretty little face.

“You still mad at me?” She asked, looking at him apologetically. Hancock inhaled through his nostrils, brushing the baby hairs on the back of her neck with a small shake of his head. “I was angry for you putting yourself, our baby in danger.” He slid a hand to rest on her stomach. Maddie inhaled loudly not expecting the movement at all. It was so goddamn intimate she felt everything that had been broken in her fall into place. She was starting a family with someone she genuinely fell in love with. “I want it, ya know. I’m not sure as to how we’re gonna do it, how I’m gonna be a father…”

She smiled warmly her hard stone outside softening. “We’ll figure it out. You just gotta trust yourself that loving them, me, is all we’re gonna need.” She explained. “Good thing I trust I love you.” He chuckled. Maddie rolled her eyes kissing him muffled on his lips, “I love you too, Johnny boy.”


End file.
